Aestus Niveus
by Toadie
Summary: A girl with a suprising secret is torn from the life she knew and thrust into the Dragonslayers, only to be severed again, ending up on the Mystic Moon. Now, a few years later she is back, and changed. But the Dragonslayers aren’t boys anymore…they're men
1. A Rough Start

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, or pretty much anything for that matter. Please don't sue, I'm poor. On the other hand, I do own the characters I created. (It will pretty obvious which ones I mean) All the songs used belong to their respective owners. Not me. And if there really is a Hollywood Video, I'm very sorry. No harm intended. (  
  
  
  
A/N: This is my first attempt at a fic! Please be kind. ( In fact, I don't think I've written any stories since they forced you to do it in Elementary. Hee hee hee.. My aim was for this story to eventually line up with the Escaflowne timeline. You'll know when you get there.  
  
And for the impatient sort: have patience. Yes, this story DOES have a plot, and you'll get there quick. I promise, the goods (i.e. Dilandau in the shower) lie ahead.  
  
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it's you that I adore  
  
you'll always be my whore  
  
you'll be the mother to my child  
  
and a child to my heart  
  
we must never be apart --Ava Adore, Smashing Pumpkins  
  
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Chapter 1  
  
  
  
A Rough Start.  
  
  
  
  
  
Ava let out a cry as a tall, armored man grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her down the corridor. He turned to her as he continued to hurry down the hallway. "Keep quiet, and hurry up! Folken-sama is not a patient man, and little brats like you shouldn't keep him waiting!" he growled through his bushy moustache. Ava glared at him angrily and stumbled along behind him  
  
The morning before she had been sitting with her father in their modest garden, at their home in Zaibach. He was ill, and was wasting away. Ava's mother had died many years before, before Ava could even walk, and she had no siblings. So, the responsibilities of tending to the horses and looking after the farm fell into Ava's hands, on top of looking after her father. He was sleeping more and more during the day as an escape to his pain, so if Ava had nothing else to do, she would go ride her horse, Stetson, for hours on end, or practice her combat skills.  
  
She was different than regular girls her age. She didn't have much companionship by other kids, and kept to herself. She was abnormally strong, and possessed cat-like agility and reflexes, among other things. Before he was ill, her father was the local martial arts and swordsmanship master, therefore Ava had learned a great deal from him. The medication and living costs were high for them, so to make ends meet they took from the funds that Ava's father had established. He was a successful businessman, to say the least. For extra cash, Ava sold much of the farm's harvest in the market.  
  
This particular afternoon she arrived home to see her father at the table with a stranger. They must have been discussing something important, because they didn't even notice her walk in. So Ava, indifferent, decided to go to her room to occupy herself.  
  
With this, her father turned to her. "Ava, come here." Ava came and stood beside him, mildly curious. "Will this be suitable for the examination?" Ava's father asked the man.  
  
"Yes, yes, here is fine" the man said absently. With the word 'examination, Ava looked up at her their guest with confusion. He was a stringy little bald man, with odd goggles and a bleak gray tunic that resembled a lab coat. He looks like a mole, thought Ava. Mr. Mole [hee hee] suddenly stood and swept Ava off her feet, placed her on the table, and pulled her shirt over her head. Ava cried out in surprise and anger, and to her astonishment Mr. Mole tugged her pants to her ankles as well. Alarms went off in her head. She looked to her father, expecting him to reprimand this intruder. Instead, he was looking at a small stack of papers, signing one every so often, looking bored. He wasn't too concerned about what this sick little man was doing to Ava. Fear rose within her. She was so confused with what was happening. Sickened with the fact that her father was sitting back while she was being violated, she found that she didn't have the strength to fight with mole man anymore. She tried to cover herself as best she could, as she sat there in just her underthings, icy-gray eyes cast downward behind her fringe of jet black-blue hair. She was about 12, and therefore quite self conscious with the fact that her body had recently begun to change, even though she still possessed some of the shapelessness and skinniness that children have. The mole man proceeded to check her body over, checking muscle mass and reflexes and general health. When he was finished, he turned to Ava's father.  
  
"She is a good candidate. Her muscles and reflexes are impeccable, especially for her age. She is in remarkable physical condition, and the. abilities we had discussed earlier will prove to be a valuable asset." Ava scrambled to dress again, her blue-black hair in disarray. Why is this man doing this? What's happening? Her mind shouted frantically. Mr. Mole placed her on the floor once more, for Ava's dad did not have the strength to perform that act. He pulled out his chair and brought out a note pad, sitting down. br  
  
"Now," he said "Does the girl have any experience with weapons or horses? Ava was puzzled. "She has been riding since she could walk. As for weapon experience, she had taken martial arts lessons under my instruction until a few years ago, and has very good coordination." The mole man wrote something down on the note pad. The mole man asked more questions, but Ava found she could no longer bear to be in the presence of both men. She left the room in disgust.  
  
A while later she heard her father calling her from the kitchen. When she got there, it was just him. The man had left. She sat down beside her dad.  
  
"Dr. Beku is going to take you to town tomorrow,"he said "I want you to do what he says and mind your manners. lf you're good, he is going to take you to get some new things." "You're speaking to me like I'm a child. And I don't want to go" Ava said, pouting.  
  
"You are a child. It's not up for discussion." For a moment, his eyes flashed and he looked at her in a forlorn way, but in an instant they were back to their usual cloudy, glassy look inside his sunken sockets. "Now help me to my bed"  
  
The next afternoon when Dr. Beku arrived, he promptly went to speak with Ava's father. They murmered so Ava couldn't overhear, and she saw her Dr. Beku hand her dad a small silk pouch, while her dad handed Dr. Beku a small rucksack. He spun on his feet, took Ava by the arm, and quickly ushered her out of the house. She turned to look at her father. She could see him lying on his futon, with his withered body and pale skin. She saw him wipe a tear from the corner of his eye, then lost sight of him. Ava thought she heard him say quietly "Gomen.."  
  
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Ava quickly learned that she wasn't going to return to her home. However, they did go to town, as her father had said. Dr. Beku bought some food, and a new cotton robe and pants for Ava. After a time, she worked up the courage to speak to Dr.Beku.  
  
"Where are we going?" She asked in a small but determined voice. He either ignored her or didn't hear. She got a little annoyed. Clearing her throat, she asked again louder. His head spun to look at her. "You should learn some respect, you'll need it. Where you're going, you'll quickly learn not to address your superiors so rudely. Zaibach is not a place to take so lightly." Ava felt her blood run cold."Zaibach."  
  
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Well, ladies and gents, I hope that was moderately enjoyable. Trust me, excitement lies ahead. Ava grows up, and learns her boys aren't boys any longer..  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: A run-in with Folken, Ava meets the boys, adventures in the Cafeteria, and Ava's dark secret is explored.. Please Review!! 


	2. Finagling with Militia

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Disclaimer: See Chapter one. Too lazy to write another, and you all know the drill anyway.BRP  
  
Onwards! (don't worry. Ava and the boys will grow up real soon. They won't be 12 for long..).  
  
  
  
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Chapter Two  
  
  
  
Finagling with Militia  
  
  
  
  
  
Ava blinked and was back in the present. She was still being pulled down the corridor by the moustache man in armor that Dr. Beku had handed her to once they arrived. Moustache man pulled her through two large steel doors, entering a smaller corridor.  
  
"Now, when speaking to Folken-sama, make sure you address him that way- Folken-sama. Don't stare at his arm, you'll understand what I mean, and keep answers short and to the point. Bow politely when you meet him, and keep your eyes to the floor. Understand?" Ava nodded sickly. "This Folken-sama must be a monster, she thought. Ava pictured a hideous demon of a man, ugly, and evil. "oh dear."Ava said to herself. Suddenly, she was pushed through a large door into a large, dark room with tables of strange scientific equipment and piles of textbooks. Ava trembled with fear as the door slammed behind her. Mr. Moustache was no were to be seen, and neither was this "Folken-sama".  
  
"Well now, you must be Avalon," a soft, deep voice said. Ava spun around. A tall man in a cloak stood there. He had a kind face, with an odd tear tattoo and blue-green hair. His face was warm, and he was smiling slightly, but his eyes seemed sad. "There is no need to be afraid," he said, offering his hand to help her up. I don't see anything weird. He pulled her to her feet, and led her to an overstuffed chair, and sat down in the one opposite.  
  
"Welcome to the Vione. You'll be staying here for a while. My name is Folken." Ava felt relief wash over her. This is Folken sama? Ava took an instant liking to him. "You are to train here as a Dragonslayer. You should be proud of yourself, you're the only girl. The rest are all boys your age. However, there will be some differences. You will undergo special training. You'll still practice and live with the others, but at certain times you will be taking private lessons to develop your powers." Ava's smokey eyes grew wide. He knows about that? Then her face turned red with slight embarrassment. He must think I'm a bit of a freak. Ava knew she was different. She could remember the first time strange things started to happen.  
  
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When she was about 8, thieves tried to steal their livestock. Earlier that day her father was complaining of chest pains, and when he tried to stop the robbers, they knocked him to the ground. he screamed out, clutching his chest, then slumped. He was unconscious. Ava was in terror. She saw one of the thieves beating Stetson, her horse, with a pronged cane. She snapped.  
  
It felt as though something inside her was exploding, and a tingling rush flowed and spread throughout her entire body. She was suddenly acutely aware of herself. She could feel her blood flying through her veins, her heart pounding in her chest, and the tingling sensation that reached all the way to her fingertips. She stared at the thieves. Her hand wrapped around a pitchfork in the round bale beside her. Her rage swelled within her, and she could feel white-hot energy seeping into the pitchfork in her hand. She looked down at it. Frost was forming all along the pitchfork where she had touched it, as well as on her hand. She looked back towards the thieves. She could hear them laughing at her, although it sounded oddly muffled and distorted. Images ran through her mind. She saw them beating Stetson, hearing him cry out. She saw them hurt her Dad. His scream still echoed through her skull. She charged, and threw the pitchfork as if it were a spear. It didn't hit any of them, but landed right among them, trapping one by pinning his trench coat. They stared at it.  
  
"Ha, stupid bitch! You missed!" One said. Suddenly there was a loud blast. The pitchfork had exploded, sending splinters of wood and metal flying at the robbers, scaring some, and impaling others. The dust settled. One man was dead on the ground, a large shard of wood in his eye. Others had more minor injuries, but they took one look at their fallen comrade, then at Ava. They ran. Ava collapsed with exhaustion.  
  
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Ava frowned at her memory, ashamed. Folken laughed softly and said "Don't worry, you'll be fine. And don't let the others pick on you because you're a girl. Show them what you're made of, and you'll do well. Now, lets go get you set up." He reached his own hand out to lead her. And with that, Folken took her hand in his and led her down the hallway.  
  
The two of them stopped in a number of places. First, they stopped at the tailor, where her measurements were taken for her uniform and other attire. Folken showed her where she would be eating, training, and so on, as well as explaining to her about what her role as a Dragonslayer meant, and what to expect. He even told her about twin cat-girls that were about her age. They met with all the weaponry, guymelef, and combat experts that would come to be her teachers. The Martial Arts teacher had a class with him while Folken took her to him, and she noticed that they were all boys about her age. While Folken was speaking to the master, she looked around. All eyes were on her, and a few of them whispered to each other.  
  
Her eyes met with a small blue-eyed boy with a mushroom cut. He was smiling shyly at her, so Ava smiled back. The boy blushed, and his neighbor with fluffy curly hair poked him in the ribs and said something sly. Then she noticed a boy sitting in the front. He had fiery scarlet eyes and silver hair, and a fierce, insolent look about him. She could tell just from looking at him that he was the leader of the boys. He had an aura about him. He was giving her a look that she wasn't sure how to interpret, so she just smiled at him, hoping it didn't show any of the nervousness she was feeling. He looked surprised and puzzled by this. Folken then turned and said to her,  
  
"Now, since we're here, you may as well meet the others." The boys stood at attention, and Folken said, "Alright boys. You have a new Dragonslayer. Folken started introductions with the ones closest to the front. "That is Dilandau" He said referring to the scarlet eyed leader. "This is Gatti, Chesta (referring to the shy smiley boy) Guimel, Dallet (Who winked provocatively) Miguel, Viole, Biore."Folken went on. As he was doing this, the boys sized her up. She could hear some of them whispering louder now. "A GIRL in the dragonslayers?..Can't handle a sword..cook supper for us and sew clothes.." Ava felt blood rising to her face. There is no way in hell she would play housewife for them. She'd show them thing or two. She'd be as good Dragonslayers as they were, if not better. Dilandau looked irritated.  
  
"A GIRL? What the hell were you thinking, Folken? He shouted defiantly. Folken stopped and simply said: "Learn some respect, Dilandau. You'll see." Then he continued, leaving Dilandau looking furious. Folken finished with the last, 14th boy. "And this," putting his hand on her shoulder "Is Avalon, or Ava. She'll be bunking with group A. She'll also be training with you most of the time, but will also be doing some specialty training. Chesta!" Chesta scurried to Folken's feet and bowed. "Y-yes Folken-sama?"  
  
"I want you to show Ava were the dorms and common room are, as well as the mess hall, showers, and training facilities. And the Guymelef hangar." "Yes Folken-sama!" Chesta said to the floor. He turned to Ava, and started leading her away. "Wooohooo, Cheestaaa!" someone muttered as they passed. Ava couldn't see Chesta's face, but she could see his ears turning dark red.  
  
After the mess hall and common room, Chesta and Ava made their way to the dorms and showering facilities. Ava was dreading what might come to be. "Will I have to shower infront of a bunch of boys? What if I have to share a bed with one?." As if to answer her question, as they approached the dorms. Group A on one side, with half the slayers, and Group B across the hall with the other half. Three bulky men were carrying a new four-post bed into the Group A side, Ava's name freshly engraved into the mahogany wood.  
  
"This is were we sleep. I'm in group A too, and so is Gatti, Dilandau, Dallet, Guimel, Miguel and Ryoun." Ava remembered Ryoun as one of the guys making snotty comments about her. Chesta led her into the room after the men had finished with her bed. She saw that the room was very large and open, maybe half the size of a riding arena. The beds and cabinets, one for each slayer, lined the edges of the room, except one wall, which was mostly glass windows which opened to a small balcony. There was a large shag rug in the very center of the room with several overstuffed and beanbag chairs, as well as a short table. There was a bathroom located at either end of the room, with countertops of marble. Big leafy plants were located in random spots throughout the room, as well as antique swords on the wall for décor. Wow. this is unlike anything I've ever seen. Ava marveled. "We should hurry to the showers and hangar, and report back to Folken-sama."Chesta trailed off. Ava grinned at him, "Let's go then,".  
  
Ava absently tugged on her collar. She was in line for food in the mess hall, squished behind Dilandau, holding in her tray what appeared to be melted boot rubber and fertilizer. Smelled like it too. It was lying on a bed of rice. Or what she assumed was rice...it looked more like insect larvae. Somebody behind her in the line had pushed forward, causing the edge of her tray to jab into Dilandau's back. He turned his head and glared out of the corner of his eye. Ava smiled nervously. "S-sorry Dilandau- sama."  
  
Ava made her way back to the table after she had received the rest of her "meal". She scratched at her collar once again. She had changed into her newly tailored uniform just moments before lunch was called. She liked the way the blue in the armor complimented her blue-black hair, but the shoulder plates were a bit awkward, and the leather fit her like a skin, which she was a little self conscious about in a room full of men.  
  
She sat to the left of Dilandau, who was busy glaring at various other people around the room, but ignoring her completely. No matter. She was a little scared of him anyhow. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, and she hated it, it made her feel dirty and violated. She couldn't help think of how Dr. Beku had looked at her..  
  
Suddenly, through the doors on the other end of the large room, she saw Folken enter, who caught sight of her and smiled, making his way towards the Dragonslayers table. Even though he was Strategos, he still sat at the other end of the table, opposite Dilandau. Suddenly, a tray clattered down on the table beside her and Guimel flopped down into the seat. He nodded and grinned at her.  
  
"You're gonna love the food." He said. Ava laughed, thinking that he was kidding, but he proceeded to hungrily stuff himself with the contents of his plate, moaning and slurring about how tasty it was. Ava's lip twitched.  
  
"Gross, isn't it?" said a voice from across the table. "I'll never get used to watching Guimel eat. Or this food for that matter." Ava turned to see Miguel, who sat across from her. He had barely picked at his meal just as she had. "Sometimes it's not so bad, but sometimes...ugh. I feel sorry that on your first time here they had cooked up something particularly rancid." Ava smiled.  
  
"It's alright, as long as we don't have to sit through this every time." Ava replied. She looked down and picked at some of the larvae rice, letting her mind take her from this place. She thought about how little privacy she had in a place like this. She was used to doing and having everything to herself. In every activity throughout the day, she would be surrounded by people. She shared a bedroom with 7 other people, and showered, ate, trained, and rested with at least 15 others. "It won't be so bad," she thought. "most of these people are pretty nice." she looked at Miguel, and Folken, and Guimel, who was finished his meal and asking if she still wanted hers, which, of course, she didn't. "At least the showers are pretty decent," she thought. Each shower was enclosed in frosted plexi-glass that was 5 or 6 feet high, with a black marbled area where the shower was, and an area by the door that was out of reach where they could stash towels and robes and so on. Well, she thought, This won't be so bad after all.  
  
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Dun dun dun!!!  
  
Next Chapter: A day in the life of a Dragonslayer: Reminds me of Hogwarts; Fun with showers and gambling, and Folken's surprise!  
  
Plez Review. 


	3. All In All, You're Just Another Brick in...

Disclaimer: See Ch. 1.  
  
And a warm thank you to all those who reviewed; it makes my day. X)  
  
Alright, Ladies and Gents. I don't know what else to say. Here you are.  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
  
  
  
  
'All In All, You're Just Another Brick in the Wall'  
  
  
  
  
  
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After lunch the Slayers headed to their lessons. First was Horsemanship, so they headed towards the stables. Ava could barely contain her excitement. After all, in a world where there was nothing else familiar or comforting, horses would be a welcome and familiar addition to her new life. She also noted how impressive it was to have a stable and riding facility on board a flying fortress.  
  
When they arrived, the rest of the slayers went to their practice as they usually do, while Ava stayed behind with Jed, the stout, hairy, jolly man who taught horsemanship and horseback archery. She was given a tall, very muscular and heavy-set horse named Toby. He was very sweet and obedient, and she couldn't help missing her home life with her horse, Stetson. Jed taught her the basic fundamentals of archery on horseback, and once he was satisfied that she had gotten the hang of it, she went to join the others. They drilled shooting a moving target, shooting while negotiating obstacles, and various other techniques.  
  
  
  
Ava thought she was doing pretty well, and she pulled up alongside Ryoun to take another shot. As she was aiming, Ryoun stuck his bow out and jabbed her arm just as she released, causing the arrow to fly way off target, skimming the side of Dilandau's shoulder and dropping straight into the ground, causing Dilandau's horse to spook. Dilandau spun around, looking furious. "Who shot that? Someone needs to learn how to shoot a fucking arrow!" Ava looked stunned, but Ryoun peeked around her and pointed at Ava. Dilandau's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything more, until he turned and rode away. Ava spun to Ryoun, both angry and embarrassed.  
  
"What was that for? I didn't do anything to you!" He only smiled maliciously. "You wont last. You'll be eating our dust. By the end of the week, you'll be begging for a position as a cook. Bitch. "He rode away. Ava started to feel the stinging of angry tears, but she forced them away. Chesta caught her eye and gave her a sympathetic smile.  
  
"Don't listen to him, you're doing well. He's just threatened by you. "His words were a little comforting. Ava grew up in a world where there was no gender bias; she did all the work, she was the person bringing home the 'bacon'. She couldn't figure out why she was getting so much shit from people.  
  
  
  
At the end of the lesson, they dismounted and led their horses back to the stable. Ava's arms were a little sore, but she was in a slightly better mood, and she led the enormous Toby towards his stall. As she was untacking and brushing him out, she could hear muffled speech in the stall on the other side. Looking under Toby's thick neck, she saw Dilandau with his horse, a sweet, bouncy Thoroughbred mare named Ferox. He was stroking her silky neck and cooing softly to her, pulling a carrot from his pocket and feeding it to her. Suddenly he looked up and saw Ava watching him, and turned a bit pink, pretending that the brush he was holding had something fascinating about it.  
  
After dinner Ava decided to bite the bullet and go take a shower. Besides, she couldn't stand it any longer. She was sweaty, sore, and there was a thin layer of grime covering her. And it's generally not a good sign when you can smell yourself without any effort. She grabbed her towel and shower bucket, as well as her night clothes, (which at this point were just a T shirt with the Zaibach insignia and a pair of boxers) and headed off to the showers.  
  
When she got there, many of the stalls were occupied, so she chose one a little more off to the side. She carefully undressed out of her uniform, and finally, she let the scalding water wash over her aching body. The other lessons had gone much smoother, so she was feeling much better. Ryoun hadn't pulled anymore stunts, but he still shot her dirty looks whenever he caught her eye.  
  
Tomorrow she was to have one of her private sessions, and then do Guymelef training. She was a little nervous, having never touched a Guymelef before, but Folken-sama said he'd be there.  
  
After she had changed, she made her way back to the dorms. She entered her room, and saw a group of slayers huddled in a circle in the middle of the room on the cushion and beanbag chairs.  
  
"I'll see yours, and raise you 5 more." she heard Miguel say. Ava wondered what they were doing as she hung up her uniform and put away some of her things. "Aw, crap, I fold" Guimel said. "Haahaa! Read 'em and weep." Dallet said triumphantly. Ava peeked between the bodies. They were playing some sort of card game, and Dallet had won, given the look of pride he had as he pulled a pile of multicolored chips towards him. Gatti saw her watching. "Hey, wanna play?" he said "Uum. I don't think I know how.." "Don't know how to play Poker? Whoa." Guimel said. Dallet shuffled over to make room for her. "Here, we'll teach you," he offered. Ava smiled gratefully and sat down, and listened to the 'Slayers go over the basics.  
  
  
  
The next morning Folken led her to an enormous room. It was a huge training facility, in that it wasn't much different then the ones she had seen, but there were things all over the ceiling and walls. Hooks, ledges, bars, chains, ropes.. And there was a door on the other side that led to Folken's lab, where there was loads of scientific equipment. It was then that she noticed two cat-girls standing there, watching her and Folken. One was gold, the other was silver.  
  
"Naria, Eriya," Folken said. "This is Avalon. She will be joining in some of your specialty training. However, she isn't going to be an intensified luck soldier like the two of you, she will remain a Dragonslayer. When Folken said the last part their gazes softened noticeably. It appeared as though they didn't want to share Folken too much. Folken then turned to her.  
  
"We're not going to get into too much today, but I'd like to start off by having you three do the usual warm ups, and then later, Ava, we'll work on your powers." Folken removed his cloak and clapped once. "Alright, lets get to it. But first, Ava, you're going to have to get out of that clunky armor and into this."  
  
Folken had brought her a suit much like Naria and Eriya's, except it was black and blue instead of white. It was stretchy, comfortable, and totally un-inhibiting, which was a pleasant change from the bulky armor she had started to grow accustomed to.  
  
The 'warm-ups' that Folken had them perform, Ava found out, were nothing short of torture; they had to stand on one foot atop a long, thin wood post in a fighting stance. Not only that, but the three of them had to hold that position for over an hour, rock steady. Later on, Folken got them to flip over onto one hand. Naria and Eriya were much better at it, probably due to their feline blood. Ava, on the otherhand, was much less graceful. In the beginning she'd always fall off. Finally, after what seemed like hours of torture, Folken released them from their balancing exercise.  
  
After a moment's rest and arm-rubbing, Folken brought Ava to his lab and sat her down at an empty table, while Naria and Eriya sulked at Ava's luck in the main room. Folken placed an empty bottle infront of her.  
  
"See if you can crack it, using your abilities. Close your eyes, clear your mind, and let it flow through you." Ava shut her eyes and placed one finger on the side of the bottle. She let herself go. The same tingling feeling rose within her chest. Willing it, she felt it spread down her arm slowly, into her digits, and finally into the glass. Frost formed down her finger and spread onto the glass, with in a 2 inch radius of her touch. Dimly, Ava was aware of a shattering noise, followed by a sharp pain that caused her eyes to fly open. The bottle had exploded, and shards were lodged into the table, and the wall beside her. A stinging sensation in her arm caught her attention, and when she looked at it, she nearly fell out of her chair. A large, jagged piece of glass was embedded in her forearm. Blood trickled down her sleeve, and a mildly bewildered Folken stood infront of her.  
  
"Well. That was very impressive." He was at a bit of a loss. "I think we should get you to the Medical ward."  
  
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Oh, Folken. You're so cute! He takes good care of his girls..*giggle*  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: An intense fight scene, gossiping about Dilandau, and the plot thickens! OooOoh!  
  
Please R & R. You know you wanna. (  
  
And thanks for your scrumptious review, Jessica!! *hug* 


	4. A Bridge Between Two Worlds

Disclaimer: See prev. chapters.  
  
Well everyone, it's been a while since I updated, but I'm really happy with this chapter. Well, I didn't edit it as well as I could have, but it was a necessary link between the before years and the after years that I have been putting off for a veeeery long time. And it's finally out of the way. Yay! After this, it's the sex-pot Dilandau we've all been waiting for, I promise.  
  
Oh, and don't forget to check out the end of the chapter for a little *cough * link that takes you to a site where there is illustrations for this story. Enjoy.  
  
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Chapter 4  
  
  
  
A Bridge between Two Worlds  
  
  
  
  
  
---~----~----~----~  
  
  
  
Many months passed. Ava was improving more and more, and became closer with the other Dragonslayers. Dilandau still hadn't quite accepted her, despite her constant attempts to prove herself. Ryoun, on the other hand, still hated her, but Ava didn't really care; it was clear that would never change.  
  
Though the three girls had become friends, Naria and Eriya still had a constant need to try and show Ava up. But this was becoming more and more difficult. Ava was catching up to them at a rapid pace, and she was even able to use a bit of her power during combat, albeit not much.  
  
The three were poised atop a large mat, having a one-on-one-on-one session. Or at least, that's what it was supposed to be. Naria and Eriya had both kind of teamed up on Ava.  
  
Eriya lunged suddenly at her, wielding a long, thin lance. Ava backflipped clumsily out of the way, andjust in a nick of time. Eriya's sword smashed onto the floor where Ava was just moments before, causing a great rip in the mat. No sooner had Ava dodged Eriya's blow, but Naria came at her with her own lance. She struck at Ava, and Ava raised her own thin sword to meet it. They were locked like that, Naria trying to force hers downward, and Ava forcing hers upward. All too suddenly, there was a sickening thump, and white-hot pain seared up Ava's spine. She fell to the mat, stunned. While Ava and Naria were duking it out, Eriya had got her with the flat end of her sword.  
  
A moment later Ava pushed herself up, groaning. Her head was swimming. Naria and Eriya smiled down at her, looking smug, but they both offered her a hand. Ava could tell they'd do just about anything to impress Folken. She saw them sneaking glances all throughout their little battle to see if he was watching. It was funny.  
  
"Good match" she said, grinning. The twins grinned back "Likewise. I would've had you if Naria the lunk-head didn't get in the way." she teased Eriya good naturedly. The girls proceeded to go over to Folken's lab, and sat around a large table with bubbling cauldrons and flasks. Folken was teaching them to make poisoned needles. They chatted for a while, dipping the pins in the cauldron, then holding them over a Bunsen burner to set, which was when the turquoise paste charred to the copper, and finally arranging them carefully in a holder.  
  
"I don't know how you can stand that insufferable git, Dilandau," said Naria. "He's so pompous."  
  
"and loud," Eriya cut in  
  
"and demanding," Naria said.  
  
"And he's always disobeying Folken-sama," they said together passionately.  
  
"Dilandau's not really all that bad," Ava defended, all though not sure why.  
  
"Yeah, I can tell by the way he rags on you all the time. He's a real sweet pea." Naria said sarcastically. Unfortunately, Naria sort of had a point.  
  
"Well, you have to admit, he has gotten better. He's not entirely horrible."  
  
"Oh yeah, I agree" Eriya said seriously. "Especially when he slaps you guys around." Ava cuffed her on the back of the head, giggling. Again, she had a point.  
  
After a while Folken appeared, and sat down beside them.  
  
"How's it coming?" He asked gently. Ava presented him with her neatly arranged darts in a beaker that looked curiously like a shot glass. He examined them, and with a look of apparent satisfaction, pulled a long, tube shaped object from under his cloak.  
  
"Now, I'll show you how to use this," he said, holding it out. It looked like an oversized straw made of polished mahogany, with clever engravings along the sides. A metal device with holes, resembling the top of a salt shaker was fastened to the end, along with some artful looking tassels. "Alright, take the pins, and insert them into this end, poisoned side first."  
  
--~--~---~-----~-----~  
  
It was late, and Ava was sleepily making her way to the dorm. Walking along the deserted corridor, and absently rubbing at the stains on her fingers, contemplating what Folken had told her only minutes ago, when they had finished with the darts lesson and Naria and Eryia had already left.  
  
-~-  
  
Ava stood at the washbasin, scrubbing that last of the beakers.  
  
"I understand you're struggling with Dilandau," he said, after a long span of silence as they cleaned. Ava looked up at him, but he was only restocking high shelves, his face unreadable. She blinked, unsure how he knew, unsure how to respond.  
  
"Yeah," she said finally, looking down. "I guess I don't like how he treats us. He acts like he's better than us, as if we could never be as good as him at anything." she trailed off. She knew that she was treading somewhat rocky ground, as Folken was a high-ranking officer.  
  
"That's because it's true," came the reply. Honestly, she never expected such a rude comment from Folken, he was always very gentle in demeanor. "Forgive me for the bluntness Ava. I think that there is something about Dilandau you don't understand." He shut the cabinet on the shelf he was placing flasks in and sat on the edge of the table, his cloak falling open. He motioned for Ava to sit beside him, waiting for her to scramble up beside him before he continued.  
  
"I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but Dilandau is not like other boys"' Ava bit back a snort. "He is a prodigy, an exceptional person of intelligence and physical prowess, when it comes to combat. He was born for war, literally." Ava didn't want to hazard a guess as to what that meant. "One day, he will be the leader of the Dragonslayers, I can tell you that with complete certainty. He is the ultimate war-lord, a paradigm of the perfect soldier. He was created for the exclusive purpose of bringing glory and triumph to the Zaibach army." All Ava could manage in response was a look of confusion.  
  
"But how."  
  
"Dilandau isn't what he seems, Ava." For the first time, Folken looked vaguely uncomfortable. "He is not the way he is without the intervention of science. Zaibach. used to perform experiments on live subjects, until, with the use of one little girl, they perfected it." Folken trailed off meaningfully.  
  
Ava was baffled. After the initial amazement at the scientific triumphs of the Zaibach army, she couldn't help but wonder at the validity of using a human test subject, but she kept this to herself. After all, they couldn't have used children that people really wanted or cared for, could they? Otherwise, they'd be missed. As cold a thought it may seem, Ava reasoned that Zaibach was doing unwanted orphans a favor. At least they were wanted here.  
  
--~  
  
Ava, back in the present, continued towards the dorms. Contemplating this rather shocking information about Dilandau, it occurred to her that, while Dilandau was difficult sometimes, (and rude, and pretentious, and sexist, her mind intervened) she could still never lead the Dragonslayers like he could, even if she wanted to. After all, Folken said it himself. He was the ultimate soldier. Ava pitied the people stupid enough to cross Dilandau in the future.  
  
---~----~---~  
  
Over the following weeks and months, Ava grew more and more accustomed to her niche in the Dragonslayers. She now understood that, just because she was subordinate to Dilandau in rank and would one day serve him, she realized that this fact did not define her as a lesser person. And in a weird way, it made her stronger. Now armed with the knowledge that she, along with all the other dragonslayers, fit into a specific and important role, she lost the self-doubt and impetuousness that plagued her earlier months with Zaibach.  
  
--~---  
  
It was late, and cold, and the Guymelefs were blanketed in a thin layer of snow. Part of the dragonslayer's training sometimes involved late night Guymelef training at the whim of General Adelphos and/or Dilandau, and this night was no exception. Since the port was aboard the Vionne, the 'Melefs buzzed about the flying fortress thousands of feet in the air, which, to some, could be rather unnerving.  
  
Part of the evening's regimen involved formation-target practice. While it was a rather droll operation, flinging fireballs and shooting Crima claws at moving targets projected from the Vionne, Ava had to admit, there was a certain degree of feverish excitement whenever the Dragonslayers partook in these exercises.  
  
As she and 4 others approached in a V-formation, a reclusive sputtering noise caught her attention. She looked around, just in time to witness Guimel's Guymelef explode mildly at the shoulder, and burst into flames. His Guymelef lurched, crashing headlong into the propulsion device at the back of Dilandau's Guymelef, positioned at the point of the V.  
  
Right away Ava could tell things just went from bad to worse. While Guimel's guymelef was on fire, it was still certainly airborne, and in no critical danger, albeit he got to the hangar ASAP, while Dilandau's Guymelef gave one ambitious squeal to remain airborne, then plummeted. Vaguely, she heard the other Dragonslayers shout out, and Dilandau's frustrated yells over the comm. Unit. Without even thinking, she cut the thrusters. It seemed for a moment she was suspended in the air, but a split second later, she too began to fall. Faster and faster the ground and the distant burning guymelef approached, but it wasn't fast enough.  
  
With new resolve, Ava projected her Guymelef so she was facing downward, and falling headfirst. Then, she flipped the thrusters back on. Gaining speed, she realized what a delicate operation she had jumped into. Not only was Dilandau's helpless guymelef getting closer, but so was the rocky terrain below. She shook her head to clear it, and readied her Crima claw. She positioned the crosshairs straight for the cockpit, aimed, and fired.  
  
And nothing happened.  
  
It was with a sudden jolt that it occurred to Ava that the drastic change in cockpit pressure, along with flying upside down, had upset the pressure of the liquid metal. Ava started to feel a little queasy, but not from the ride. As she approached Dilandau's doomed Guymelef, she was left with the only other plan she could think of. Swiveling the Guymelef right-side up again, she pulled alongside Dilandau. With a single warbly claw, she clamped Dilandau's guymelef to her own, and shoved the arm of her Guymelef under the arm of his, much like an adult would pick up a young child. Then, she slammed the thrusters down as far as they would go. It seemed too little too late.  
  
While it was slowly starting to counteract their fall, they were still falling to the earth at an amazing velocity. Ava guessed it was only hundreds of feet. She cringed, prayed, and braced herself. Eight hundred. Five hundred. Four hundred. They seemed to be slowing down. Three hundred. She started firing shots at the ground in a last ditch effort. Two hundred. She screwed her eyes shut, and it was then she realized she was screaming, harmonious with the screams coming from the cockpit jammed against hers.  
  
CRASH  
  
It was all black for a moment. Or an hour, Ava wasn't sure. But when she opened her eyes and pulled her protesting into a sitting position, it occurred to her that she was alive. She fisted the door controls, only nothing happened, although she could see why; the cockpit was mangled. By all rights, she should be dead. Luckily, however, the grate was mangled in such a way that the metal was pulled away from the frame, and panting, pulled herself from the wreckage. She looked to the smoking Guymelef beside her. It was in about the same shape: totaled. Knees shaking, and muscles screaming against her efforts, she stumbled over to the grate and peered between the bars. It was dark inside.  
  
"Dilandau?" she asked timidly, afraid of what might respond, or might not. There was no reply. "Dilandau?" she asked again, a louder, and with an unnoticed franticness to her tone. This time, her efforts were greeted by a muffled groan. Tremendous relief poured through her, and she pried the cockpit open. Dilandau laid in his seat, eyes half open, cuts and scrapes all over himself. Without saying anything else, she stuck her hand out, offering. He grabbed her hand, and she painfully hoisted him out of the pilot seat. Both still shaky and shocked, they stumbled to the ground, and let themselves fall by the wreckage, panting. After a time, Dilandau turned to Ava, who was lying on her back on the rocky ground. She noticed something in his eyes that she never saw before. Underneath that layer of ice, she noticed a softness, a velvety crimson thank-you that she never expected, nor knew how to react to.  
  
"Thanks," he said finally.  
  
They held eyes for a moment more, embracing this moment of vulnerable peace and gratitude, barred none from the prying eyes of military and the pressures of expectations. Ava finally looked down, ears red, but smiled softly. "You're welcome." She said, and, with an afterthought, "Dilandau- sama".  
  
Their attention was drawn suddenly to a distant whine; Above them, Ava could see a small vessel approaching with an entourage of guymelefs, most of which belonged to the Dragonslayers. They were coming to get them. Sighing with relief, she turned again to Dilandau, only got to say nothing. It was only after reading the look of shock on his face that she realized she was bathed in a strange blue light. Looking up, she saw she was sitting in a pillar, and was starting to levitate off the ground.  
  
"No!" She cried, trying desperately to cling for something in reach, only to no avail. Dilandau took a final lunge at her, before she was pulled out of reach, loosing consciousness, and everything she had in the world.  
  
---~-----~-----~----~------~-----~-----~----~-  
  
Please R & R. And, for anyone interested, here is a little more shameless plugging of my story: I've drawn a wack of fanart for this story, so for anyone interested in slobbering over Dilandau, Dragonslayers, or interested in seeing what Ava looks like, go to: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Drunken perverts, Mystic moon adventures, and Ava's back.But she's definitely changed! 


	5. Put Those Pants on and Dance

Disclaimer: I don't own buggerall, yada yada...  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
  
  
Put Those Pants on and Dance  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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"With nothing to lose you'd waste away  
  
obscure in exile  
  
they've witnessed the times  
  
you've gone astray  
  
whose fault? now you're thinking..." "Heaven Coming Down" by the Tea Party ----------------------------------------------------  
  
  
  
2 YEARS LATER  
  
  
  
Ava ran her tongue stud over her teeth, listening to the acrylic bead click over them for the millionth time. She sat on the counter of where she worked, Hollywood Video, idly watching "The Crow". This was a movie rental store that was out of the way in a residential area, and kind of grungy, and almost always deserted. So, she would mostly sit and watch movies if there was nothing else to do. It suit Ava fine; she was getting paid for it.  
  
Ava had changed a lot in some ways. After inexplicably leaving Zaibach via the pillar of light a few years ago, she turned up on the mystic moon, or, more specifically, in this city called Montreal. Once again, she was torn from everything familiar and plunked down in a strange place with strange people and left to fend for herself. And, once again, she had managed.  
  
She had lived on the streets for only a few weeks when she was placed with social services, and quickly put in a foster home. For a long time Ava wanted to go back to the streets. She may have been young, but she could definitely take care of herself. She was, after all, a trained soldier. In dealing with the social isolation that life had thrown her, she mainly wandered the streets and lashed out in something of a punk/alternative way. Now, at 16, she sported several body piercing in her tongue, eyebrow and navel, as well as a tattoo of a tribal dragon on her back. She'd typically wear dark make up and baggy jeans, usually donning eclectic clothes, such as obscure hoodies and articles heavy on the chains and metal.  
  
Being on the streets hardened her. Not that she was perticularily soft to begin with, after two years of anger, isolation and involvement In street violence, Ava was no longer the (rather) naïve and innocent girl she had been.  
  
Due to the fights she sometimes found herself wound up in, Ava's fighting style had evolved over the years from a by-the-book martial artist, to something with an agile, street-fighting, earthian edge. Though she had a temper, she liked to keep fights non-mortal, so she very rarely used a weapon other than her body. After all, she didn't want to attract a lot of attention to herself, and landing herself in prison was a very unproductive way to find a route back to Gaia.  
  
After she had closed up Hollywood Video, (the owner was either trusting enough or stupid enough to entrust her with keys), she headed back home. Or "home" as Ava wanted to put it. Even after all this time on Earth, it still hadn't become home to her. Zaibach was. It was her true home. Ava shifted her bag on her shoulder and looked at her watch. 12:32am. Nirvana pumped in her ears. "That's one of the nice things about the Earth. Discmans and Kurt Cobain."  
  
Suddenly she heard a rustle behind her. Two huge men, both grungy and filthy, both holding liquor bottles, had appeared out of the shadows. They eyed her hungrily, and started towards her.  
  
"Hey there.pretty little girls shouldn't be out here this late.you might get eaten up." The other one, with a bald head laughed, and the one who had spoken, a grubby man with a ratty face, lunged at her. She effortlessly jumped out of his path, bringing her heavy bag down on his head, knocking him to his knees. "Ooooh, this one has fire in her. I like them feisty."  
  
Ava wretched and said, "Fuck off. I don't need this right now, and you're wasting my time. Go back to the pit you crawled out of." Baldy was next, trying to sneak up where she couldn't see him, but Ava spun around, grabbing his bottle, and bashed it into his face.  
  
"Bitch!" he spat, blood already dripping from his mouth. Ava carefully placed her Discman on a nearby curb where it wouldn't be damaged. It cost her a solid month's pay, after all. She switched the bottle, which now had a bloody crack in it, to the other hand.  
  
Ratty had taken one look at his wounded friend and charged at her with fury. She turned and side kicked him in the stomach, punched him in the eye, and did a roundhouse to his head. He fell to his knees once again, and this time, Ava took the bottle and brought it down on the back of his head with considerable force. He was out cold. Baldy glared at her, puzzled. "Get out of here," Ava said calmly, picking up her Discman and starting off once more. Baldy blinked once more and charged at her turned back.  
  
Suddenly he was blinded by a light so intense that he had to shield his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Ava surrounded by a pillar of light, lifting gently from the ground, looking astonished. Getting over his surprise, as a last resort, he ran over, whipped out his switchblade and gave her a good slash across her back. The last thing he heard was Ava shout in pain as she rose out of sight.  
  
--~--~--  
  
Dilandau sat in the darkness in his room. Pouring another glass of Vino, he relished he solitude and quiet. Folken had been in earlier, boring him to death with details of an upcoming mission. But now, he sat in an overstuffed chair relaxing. He looked at himself through the darkened mirror on the other side of the room, admiring his image.  
  
There was a knock at the door.  
  
"What?" Dilandau demanded, having worked himself into a rage. The door opened and Guimel peeked his head around the corner.  
  
"Dilandau-sama? I have something to report."  
  
"What is it?" Dilandau asked impatiently.  
  
"A strange pillar of light was sighted not far from here, North-North West, probably 10 or 15 leagues. Shall we send out a small garrison to inspect?" Dilandau thought, his mind slightly clouded by the Vino, although it didn't show.  
  
"No," he said at last. "Just go yourself. Bring.oh, Gatti with you. And report back to me as soon as you're back." Guimel bowed and left, enveloping Dilandau in darkness once more. He felt a little strange about this.  
  
--~--~--  
  
Guimel and Gatti coasted along in their Alseides'.  
  
"See anything yet?" Gatti asked through the comm. "Not yet." Guimel replied. Soon they came upon a small clearing in the forest, and slowed down. This was getting close to the area where the light was spotted.  
  
"Hey, what's that??" Gatti's voice rang out through the comm. "Got me, bud. Let's set down to have a closer look. Keep your guard up." They landed on the soft earth, and Guimel zoomed in with his telescope. It was..a person? Out here?  
  
"Hey, Gatti, you see what I see? Holy hell..It's a chick, too." The noise of the Guymelefs must have brought her around, for she strained and lifted her head up to look at them. Guimel just about swallowed some of the liquid metal surrounding him in shock. "AVA??!" He quickly opened the hatch and jumped out, followed by Gatti. Guimel ran up to her. He knelt down beside her, realizing that there was a deal of blood on her and the ground. He looked her up and down. She had changed, that was for sure. She no longer had the juvenile, rectangular body she once had. She possessed the curves and shapes of a woman. Not only that, but she had strange metal body art in her eyebrow, and from what he could see of her exposed abdomen, her belly button as well. Her hair had grown a great deal longer, which he could see from the lengthy ponytail. She looked at him with her slenderized, more mature face, with relief and affection in her eyes. "G.Guimel?" she forced out, then passed out once more. "Jeez.. She didn't even say my name." Guimel heard Gatti say. Guimel picked Ava up, and carried her back to his Guymelef.  
  
--~--~--~  
  
Ava's head and back ached. Slowly opening her eyes, she tried to get them to focus. The room was dark and she was all alone. She could feel the hard table beneath her, aware of the new stitches in her back. She shifted her legs and felt something against them. Lifting her head a little, she saw a sleeping form sitting beside her bed, sleeping with his head in his arms on the edge of her bed. It was Dilandau. She sat up a little, slightly astonished after not having seen him for quite a while.  
  
"He looks so peaceful when he sleeps..like a child." Ava smiled warmly at Dilandau's sleeping form. She gazed at him, looking at his porcelain face and feathery eyelashes. His chiseled cheekbones and strong jaw, and his lips, slightly parted as his body rose and fell with every breath. "People wonder why we fight for him. This is why. He fights for us. We're his family, and he's ours. Only nobody ever sees this side of him ." Ava took a thick, soft blanket from the pile folded beside her bed and wrapped it around his shoulders. Lying back down, feeling her head swirl with exhaustion, she said quietly "Good to see you, Dilandau-sama." --~--~--~  
  
Ava could hear faint murmuring. The murmuring quickly grew from faint to fairly loud talking all around her. She opened her eyes. Ava squinted against the bright lights, trying to get blurry images to focus. The Dragonslayers were surrounding her, and she was still lying on the (hard) table. They all looked down at her. Guimel and Gatti were standing on either side of her head, and the rest had surrounded the table. Ava smiled. "Hi, guys." Her smile quickly faded. Suddenly, Ava was quite aware that she was naked under her blanket. Her face turned red and she grabbed the edge of the blanket, pulling it up to her neck. Dallet laughed and said with a sly grin  
  
"Come on, Ava. You've got nothing to hide." He leaned closer, giggling, and Ava smacked him on the side of the head, smugly. "Oh, no you don't" Ava saw Dilandau standing at the end of the bed, watching her from a short distance. Her eyes met with his. A wave of emotion fluttered through them, but he looked down, and soon were covered with the indifferent, insolent look they usually had. Ava looked at him hopefully, but she was interrupted by Miguel who spoke up,  
  
"How are you feeling?," he asked calmly.  
  
"Aside from the fact that my back feels like it's been sewn shut with a dull needle, I'm feeling pretty chipper." Ava said with a groan.  
  
"Are you still a Dragonslayer? After being gone all this time?" Chesta piped up. Ava thought.  
  
"I sure as hell hope so, bu-" The doors burst open. Folken-sama strode in, robes billowing out behind him. Gatti and Chesta moved aside so he could see Ava. He smiled softly at her, which was impressive, considering that Folken wouldn't make a face if he had been kicked in the pills. "Folken- sama." she said, and gave a little bow. Dallet peeked a little towards the sagging blanket at her breasts as she bowed. He was rewarded with a cuff to the back of the head by Gatti.  
  
"I'm glad to see you're back, Ava. I've come to inform you all that there will be a meeting the day after tomorrow regarding the trade agreement with Asturia after dinner. You're to report to my laboratory at 20:00 h." Dilandau snorted.  
  
"More Political crap, Folken? We're not a part of that bullshit." Ava smiled. good to be home.  
  
"Watch your mouth. But yes, I think that you'll be interested in what needs to be said, Dilandau." With that, he turned to Ava. "In the mean time, you are to undergo assessment to determine whether or not you still have a place in the Dragonslayers. I'll leave that up to the discretion of Dilandau. Good Luck, Ava. It's good to have you back." With that, he turned and strode out, flanked by Dilandau  
  
Ava stewed inwardly for a moment in silence. I need to prove myself? She thought, annoyed. Finally she looked up to the on looking slayers. "Well then, that doesn't leave me much time to get ready" Ava said, grinning.  
  
--~--~--~--~--~-~--~  
  
Ava's first stop after a hearty breakfast was the gymnasium. If she was going to have to prove herself (and in what way, she didn't know), then best start to buck up now. After changing and a 15-minute warm-up on the running machine (similar to a treadmill on earth, she mused,) she started to do her rounds. Looking around at her options, she finally selected the acrobatic eqiptment, as she had little opportunity on earth to hone those skills.  
  
Ava hung, suspended from a pair of rings, watching as Dilandau entered the room, followed by Gatti and Viole. He was wearing only his loose fitting undershirt and a pair of workout pants that were slung insolently low on his hips. He looked around the room and saw her suspended upside down, watching them.  
  
"So," Dilandau said, swaggering up to her flanked by Gatti and Viole. "Its time to figure out whether or not you're still worthy," he said, insolently smirking. Ava inwardly called him a name, but flipped over, releasing her grip on the rings, and landed on the mat below.  
  
"Yes, sir," she said monotonously. Dilandau's gaze hardened.  
  
"Gatti!" he called, cold and cutting. Gatti stepped forward onto the mat, nodding.  
  
"Yessir" he said, an edge of disgruntlement in his voice. Dilandau directed him to combat with Ava. They stood in position, face to face. Gatti's back was to Dilandau, and he made a funny face exhibiting his good humour towards the situation. Ava allowed the corners of her lips curve upward in the slightest of smiles, before darting suddenly at Gatti.  
  
Gatti sidestepped to the right, although he had done it a little too late. Ava grappled his arm and twisted it over her head, rotating as she did so. The end result had Gatti flipping neatly over her shoulder and landing with a thump on his back.  
  
He blinked, but was on his feet in a second. That wasn't anything the Dragonslayers didn't know; Gatti was just being sloppy. Ava stood, fight stance ready, watching him with intensity. Again, she attacked. With feline grace she darted up, outstretched hands aiming for his neck as she leapt. Gatti wasn't ready for it. He closed his eyes and awaited the painful blow to his throat. It never came. Instead, Ava placed her hands firmly on either side of his head upon his shoulders and vaulted herself over. She landed, and promptly kicking his feet out from under him, reached around to his collar bone, and grasped him firmly in a complicated grip. Almost instantly, Gatti went out cold, his head slumping and body rolling to the mat.  
  
Dilandau looked at Gatti for a moment. Ava stood up, and waited purposefully, waiting for round two. But it never came.  
  
"Welcome back." He said, and then stalked off to the punching bags.  
  
Ava stood blinking for a minute in disbelief. That was it? Ava wasn't quite sure what to make of that. That was no big deal, she figured that a much more complicated process was involved, including guymelef piloting, at least. But she shook it off. Maybe he didn't want to go through all that trouble. Or maybe he just wanted her back.  
  
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Bun bun buuun! What nutty new adventures are in store? Check out the illustrations: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Fun with naked Dragonslayers, Narcotic talk, and a man on a mission. 


	6. Bathing Is Not A Spectator Sport

And now kids, it's what we've all been waiting for. Wet hot Dragonslayers.  
  
Disclaimer: see other chapters.  
  
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Bathing Is (Not) a Spectator Sport  
  
  
  
  
  
---~----~----~---  
  
Ava let the scalding water spray at her. "Aahh." she sighed, letting the grime and sweat wash down the drain. She leaned with her arms against the wall beneath the shower head, with her head resting on them, letting the shower sooth her muscles. Her back felt much better, she hardly noticed it. The medics must have put some sort of fast- acting healing salve on it.  
  
She could hear the other Dragonslayers talking and shouting and goofing off around her, and the sound of other showers running and lockers slamming. She heard someone snap their towel fairly loudly. Chesta cried out in pain and surprise, followed by the sound of Guimel giggling hysterically. Ava smiled. These were the sounds that she sorely missed for so long, longing to be back here again where she meant to be.  
  
Ava noticed that she had grown a lot taller since she had last been here. The walls of the shower stalls were only about 5 and a half feet tall, so she could now peek over the top. She was one of the shortest Dragonslayers, at around 5'6", but some of the others, like Miguel, topped off at around 6'2". If they were so inclined, they could just stick their head over any of the stall walls with no difficulty.  
  
When she was done she threw on her bathrobe that had the Zaibach insignia embroidered on the pocket. It was make of thick, fluffy black terrycloth, and smelled of jasmine. Opening the frosted plexiglass door, she strode out into the main area, while tying the belt, and headed towards the lockers on the far side. She looked up, and her jaw just about hit the floor. There were several Dragonslayers strolling about clad only in a fuzzy black towel around the waist. And the Dragonslayers had certainly grown up since last time she was here.  
  
She looked to the stall beside her. There, she was greeted with the sight of Chesta taking off his robe and hanging it on the hook by his shower. Ava was surprised to see that, despite his smaller appearance, Chesta was clearly well endowed in the buff ness department. He had a washboard 6- pack, and well-defined chest and arm muscles. Ava gulped. He looked up, and saw Ava gawking. Chesta immediately turned beet red and started stammering, obviously not realizing that she was there. He jumped into his shower. Ava stammered and spun around.  
  
Ava knees just about buckled. She gaped, wide-eyed. Dilandau had just come out of his shower, towel 'round the waist, and dripping wet. The last time she had seen him shirtless, they were both a lot younger. He was just a skinny little boy, and she was just a skinny little girl. Besides, last time she was here, she didn't have as much interest in the opposite sex. Dilandau's wet hair had clumped in spiky cords, and water dripped over his broad shoulders and down his thick, smooth, back, his toned muscles rippling as he moved around and started to walk away. He turned slightly, glancing at her through the corner of his eye. Ava let out a little gasp of embarrassment and pretended to be looking somewhere else. Holy shit.Ava thought. I'm the only girl in a squadron of teenage Adonis's.. Ava shook her head to clear it. How could she be thinking these kinds of things about her fellow slayers? Especially Dilandau? She sighed, and Ava picked up the towel she had dropped and made her way over to the lockers to get dressed.  
  
The locker area was quiet, with most of the guys still in the showering area. She had gotten there a bit earlier, so she was finished a bit earlier. She walked into the aisle with her locker, which was wide and had a bench running down the center. Her locker was on the end closest to her, in a quiet corner. She opened her locker and saw that Dilandau was dressing further down the aisle, at this point he was wearing only his leather pants. At first Ava wasn't sure what she should do, but she accidentally met his gaze, and, looking down with a little embarrassment, decided not to say anything. He had been giving her weird looks since she'd come back, and she wasn't sure how to interpret them.  
  
Ava had gotten some armor already, although it was just a temporary set while the seamstresses made her a permanent set. It was one of Gatti's that he didn't need. She pulled on a pair of black satin panties underneath her robe, and swiftly pulled on the loose lavender tank top that goes underneath her armor. She side glanced at Dilandau and saw him look away. Now sans the cover of the robe, she pulled on her leather pants, which fit a bit odd, too wide at the waist and too narrow at the hips. It will have to do, she thought. She looked into her locker mirror. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders in messy wet cords. She smoothed it as best she could and put it in a high ponytail. She absently scratched at her eyebrow barbell, while sticking out her tongue at her reflection. It was a little swollen near the piercing from playing with it too much, but it was looking good. Then she looked down to her navel piercing. She had just gotten it a month earlier, she admired the brilliant blue gem embedded in the bead.  
  
"Is that a Mystic Moon thing?" Ava looked up. Dilandau was watching her, again, with a look she couldn't interpret. Scrutiny?  
  
"These? Kind of. It's a form of body art, I suppose," Ava said, offhand. Dilandau seemed to be amused with her reply. Suddenly there was lots of activity around them, as a bunch of the slayers piled into the locker area. Guimel squished between her and another slayer to reach his locker. "Hey, still dragging your ass in here? You just want a peep show, don't you?" He said to Ava, a sly, mock seductive look on his face. He started doing a little striptease, facing away from her and pretending to peel his towel away. Before he could react, Dallet reached over and yanked his towel away, causing him to stand there, astounded and stark-naked in front of Ava, who was laughing so hard she though her sutures were going to come out. Gatti rolled his towel and rat-tailed him, and Guimel frantically yanked the towel out of his hands and covered himself, blushing madly. Ava reached out and fluffed his curly hair. "That was quite a show," she said, laughing for what felt like the first time in ages.  
  
--~--~--~--~--~--~ The next day, After some brush ups in Guymelef piloting and combat, Ava made her way with the slayers to the dorms. Within minutes of being in a guymelef and behind the sword it had pretty much all came back to her. It was just like riding a bike, it seemed. You never forgot how. They had an hour before dinner and then the meeting, so they had some time to relax and goof off.  
  
Since she had been away, the Dragonslayers had clearly become a more integral part of Zaibach. Instead of the two dorms that were shared by 15 'slayers, each soldier now had their own room. It wasn't anything fancy, but it had a small bathroom and closet, and it was a definite step up from the communal dorms of before. Conveniently, there was an extra room off the Dragonslayer hall that was being used for storage, so by the time she came back from the showers, it had been cleared out and set up for her. There was also a large, cushy common room exclusively for the Dragonslayers, so Ava made her way there, after stopping in her room. They shed their armor jackets and plopped down in the middle of the room, on the cushions and bean bag chairs. Ava's bag from Earth had been on her bed, where her clothes also were, so she grabbed her bag and sat with the others, and started digging through it. Some of the slayers watched with interest.  
  
"What's it like on the Mystic Moon?" Miguel asked. Ava thought. "It's really different in many ways. Different customs, different culture. Their technology is.. weird, to say the least. Especially when it comes to weapons and defense.." "What do you mean?" said Viole. "Well, they have these guns.they have bullets or whatever in them, and when you pull the trigger, these bullets are shot out with incredible force. they will puncture just about anything.  
  
"Hmm, what else," Gatti asked, mildly interested. Ava got an idea, and pulled her Discman out of her bag. She handed one of the ear buds to Gatti, who was sitting next to her. "Put that in your ear," she said as she pressed the play button. Gatti jumped. "Hey.neat."he said absently after another moment. He listened for a while, while the other Slayers looked on with puzzled looks on their faces. Gatti pulled the ear bud out. "It plays music, he reported. "Although I've never seen anything this small or portable that plays music on Gaea." "Hey, what's this?" Chesta said. He had one arm in Ava's bad, and the other was holding up a plastic bag with pieces of some sort of chopped-up green plant in it, and a funny silver colored pipe. A bag of weed and her bong. "uh..."Ava stammered. Dilandau looked on with mild amusement. It's.one of those herbal things." Dilandau raised an eyebrow as he leaned back in his chair. "Anyway, I've got to go and see the tailor about my uniform," she said, standing up quickly. "Hey, can I listen to this some more?" Gatti asked, holding up her Discman "Yeah, knock yourself out." she said, and trotted out of the room.  
  
"Maaan." she muttered to herself as she walked briskly down the hall "Herbs, eh?" Ava spun around. Dilandau was following her. "We do have things like that here too, Ava, I'm not stupid." Ava turned pink and looked at the floor. "I know, Dilandau-sama." "Don't let me catch you using it on the Vione. Actually, forget that. Just don't let me see it interfere with your performance." "Thank you Dilandau-sama," she said uncomfortably. "It won't. The stuff is actually pretty harmless. It mostly just makes you relaxed and euphoric." Dilandau smirked in a peculiar manner, as they continued down the hall.  
  
"AVA? Is that.no way.." Ava looked up to see Naria and Eriya walking towards them. She grinned, and ran up to them, hugging them both. After a couple minutes of quick chatter and giggling, and promises to see each other at Thursday's training session, an impatient Dilandau and Ava headed towards the Tailor once more., while Dilandau filled her in on some of the current events.  
  
They arrived at the tailor's room which was a pretty formidable residence, with grand mirrors positioned at several angles around a pedestal, a changing room off to one side, and the largest mound of fabric and leather and materials anyone would ever see. There was a large fire blown machine of sorts that was used to make armor on the other side of the room, as well as gigantic machines that did the sewing. One of the seamstresses, a plump woman with a pleasant-enough but abrupt personality wandered over to them. She looked Ava up and down, grabbed her by the arm put her on the pedestal without saying a word, or even acknowledging Dilandau. He actually looked a little steamed about it. The Seamstress spoke up.  
  
"Goodness," she said. Just lookit.you've certainly grown up," She seemed to be directing that comment to herself, so Ava didn't say anything, but she felt her cheeks flush a little. Suddenly, without warning, the seamstress yanked off her armor jacket, and pulled her under tank over her head. Ava yelped and covered her breasts in mortification. Dilandau stammered back in surprise, blushing. The seamstress turned to Dilandau and said "Get outta here, ya scallywag!" Normally Dilandau would never put up with such reprimands, but he was still shocked and embarrassed, that he just bumbled his way out the door, and headed back to the dorms as Ava was measured for a new uniform.  
  
--~-----~------~-----~-----~  
  
The Dragonslayers filed their way into Folken's lab after dinner. Ava had gotten her new armor already, it hadn't taken long at all, and she was rewarded by having a dining room full of men stare at her body. The new armor fit like a skin, therefore showing off her ample curves. Evidently, the seemstress was too excited to finally be working for a girl to let the opportunity slide by without making a few.creative liberties. Ava was quite surly after catching a good number of the Slayers staring at her boobs during dinner.  
  
Everyone took a seat on the floor of his lab, facing Folken standing behind his desk, with a rather large stack of rolled up parchment, maps, notes, and so on. "Now then. I'm sure some of you know what this is about. We're after the White Dragon. It's being housed In the Fanalian royal castle. We'll be attacking during the king's coronation." Folken stammered slightly, but quickly composed himself, barely detectable. "Dilandau has come up with a strategy, but we haven't fine-tuned it yet." Dilandau looked like he was about to say his plans didn't need fine-tuning. "Your jobs of course, will be the frontal assault." A few of the Dragonslayers cheered. "And remember: it is crucial that you are not seen. Use your stealth cloaks at all times. Dilandau, you will lead your slayers to the gates and wait for our signal." Dilandau was leaning back on his hands, wearing a crazed grin, and a glazed over look in his eye. "We're moving out in a week at 15:00h. Any questions?  
  
The Slayers started to file out of the lab, but Folken stopped Ava, asking her to stay behind for a moment. "I heard what you were saying about technology from the Mystic Moon." He said, interested. "Can you tell me about it?" Ava agreed, and was struck with an idea. She ran out of the room, and in a few moments returned with a small, rectangular metal object.  
  
"This," she explained, "is called a Gameboy. I think you might enjoy it. It's a game, you press different buttons to manipulate the little character on the screen." Ava turned it on and demonstrated. Folken looked on with intense interest. "May I.?" He asked, wide-eyed. Ava handed the Gameboy over. He looked like a kid in a candy shop, the way he was playing, crying out ever so often and shouting with delighted surprise. I've created a monster, I think. Ava thought.  
  
--~--~--~--~  
  
The Dragonslayers had the rest of the night off. Decided it was time to get some exercise, Ava went for a workout in the gym to burn off some excessive energy. She changed into her workout gear, and headed for the track. After running a few kilometers (she had gotten a bit outta shape) she practiced combat with the punching bags. Her kicking and punching had caused her body to be covered in a shiny sheen of sweat as she pushed herself faster and faster. Then she felt eyes in her back. Dilandau, Miguel and Gatti had arrived, also to work out.  
  
"Need a partner?" Dilandau asked, approaching her.  
  
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R&R please. It's like crack.  
  
Again, shameless plugging. Go check out some sketches of this story: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
And Thank you, Jess-a-bear! I loved that title so much, I had to nick it.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Dilandau gets down n' dirty, a meeting with a certain Knight of Caeli, and it's time to hunt Dragons 


	7. CoEd Wrestling is the Greatest Sport of ...

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Disclaimer: Blah Blah, Jessica smells, blah.. Check out my website: www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
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Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Co-ed Wrestling is the Greatest Sport of All  
  
  
  
  
  
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The Dragonslayers had the remainder of the night off. Deciding it was time to get some exercise, Ava went for a workout in the gym to burn off some excessive energy. She changed into her workout gear, and headed for the track. After running a few kilometers (she had gotten a bit out of shape) she practiced combat with the punching bags. Her kicking and punching had caused her body to be covered in a shiny sheen of sweat as she pushed herself faster and faster. Then she felt eyes in her back. Dilandau, Miguel and Gatti had arrived, also to work out.  
  
"Need a partner?" Dilandau asked, approaching her. He was smirking, clearly thinking that her time off planet had caused her to become poor at hand-to-hand combat. So, Ava agreed. This'll show that smug bastard a thing or two, she thought. The two circled each other for a few moments, and then, quite quickly, Dilandau lunged at her. Ava jumped to the side, and aimed a kick at his abdomen. He grabbed her outstretched leg, and twisted, causing Ava to flip over. She was on her back now, and Dilandau looked triumphant. But this was far from over. Ava kicked him in the back of the knees, making him topple forward. She was on her feet again in a split second, and leapt at him, smooshing him to the ground. They wrestled on the mats for a while, both struggling equally with one another. Ava grabbed a hold of his arm, twisting it behind him, and pushed his elbow inward, while pulling his knees out from under him with one leg. He was flat on his stomach now, Ava sitting on his back. She held him like that for a moment of triumph, and then let go, thinking it was over. As soon as she did, he reached behind him, and flipped her forward, over his head, and in an instant, was on top of her. NOW it was over. "Well," Dilandau panted, still sitting on her chest. "You seem to have picked up a few new moves along the way." He looked down at her smugly. "You still can't top me though." And with that, he stood up, and was gone.  
  
  
  
--~--~--~ Ava and the boys sat in a circle on the floor in the dorms. She had her pipe in her mouth, and was inhaling deeply. Still holding the breath, she passed it to Chesta, next to her, who looked at her uncertainly and then took a hoot. He started coughing. Ava giggled as she let her breath go, smoke tendrils adding to the haze around the group. Gatti, across from her, was clearly a lightweight, and was slouching back, in a fit of giggles. Ava laughed. -~--~--~  
  
Currently, the three girls were frozen, staring intensely at each other, atop the huge mat. Naria and Eriya both lunged at Ava, at almost the exact same time. They haven't gotten over their habit of ganging up on Ava, but it had just encouraged Ava to improve faster anyway, and she was used to it. This was her favorite part of her special training.  
  
Naria struck at her with a thin sword that was charged and surrounded with pulsing purple electricity. It whizzed by Ava's ear as she dodged the blow, heaing the electricity crackling and the clean, metallic smell it left in the air. As Ava dodged, she swung at Eriya with her double- bladed axe. It was all frosty around where she was touching it. As it struck the mat where Eriya had been a split second before, a small crater was blown into the mat around the blade, causing tufts of stuffing to float into the air. Ava quickly jumped upwards, grabbing one of the many chains that hung from the ceiling, just as both leopard girls struck at her at the same time. Ava dropped down behind them a split second later, and whacked both girls (not to hard) with the flat side of her axe. The energy she had seeped into the weapon caused both girls to fly forward with extra force. The match was over. Ava strolled over and helped them up.  
  
"Good match" she said, grinning. The twins grinned back "Likewise. I would've had you if stupid Naria didn't get in the way." sulked Eriya. "But you're doing alright. You've still got it," Naria said, patting Ava on the back. Ava grinned. "You bet your ass I do."  
  
--~--~--~  
  
The Dragonslayers stood in formation in Dilandau's room, where he was sprawled lazily on his chair. "more like throne," Ava mused. He was massaging his temples and looking peeved. Ava knew very well why they were here. The attack on Fanalia went reasonably well, but Chesta and Dallet had mucked up pretty bad; their Guymelefs had gotten beated up, and a few of them were spotted by the king of Fanalia, Van Fanel. Suddenly Dilandau spoke  
  
"So I'm to understand that you let those washed-up samurai damage two of my Alseides units? Two?" His finger grazed over his lips and he bit down, hard. Chesta and Dallet piped up, "F-forgive us!" they said, bowing. (or was it cowering?) "Step forward!" Dilandau commanded, standing up. Chesta looked like a bunny being led to the slaughter. Dilandau struck Chesta and Dallet, in quick succession, and they both fell to the floor with surprise and force of the blow. "You had stealth cloaks! How could you let that happen? Are you trying to ruin my reputation?" Dilandau challenged. Chesta and Dallet scrambled back into a bowing position. "Forgive us!" They said again, slightly quavering. Dilandau looked down at them and lowered his voice slightly, to a dangerous tone. "I'll only say this once: I don't need a couple of incompetents in my Dragonslayers. Do you follow me?" Ava inwardly rolled her eyes. "What a drama queen. Too bad he has a point"  
  
Later the next day Dilandau ordered their departure to Asturia. They were on their way to the Castle, to request weapons, food and water. They didn't really need it, and they both knew it; Dilandau merely wanted to exercise his political power over Allen Shezar and Asturia.  
  
They arrived at the castle, in formation, and strolled up the massive red carpet in two straight lines, wielding Zaibach banners, and led by Dilandau. They entered a large, ornate room, lined with people to the sides. Dilandau sauntered up to a man with long, blonde hair, a knight of Caeli. Ava was towards the back of the line, and could only pick out parts of their conversation.  
  
"I'd like to request weapons, food and water. We've engaged in urgent military maneuvers," Dilandau said, adopting a more diplomatic tone, yet still managing to drawl at the same time. "I'll do everything in my power," The blonde knight said politely. "By the way, Sir Allen. You haven't seen a strange Guymelef in the area, have you?" Allen looked like he didn't expect that. "No, not that I know of. It wouldn't have anything to do with maneuvers, would it?" "Possibly," The drawl was more pronounced now. "Would it have anything to do with Fanalia to the west being attacked?" Dilandau laughed. "That run-down little country? Maybe its leaders were eaten by the dragons that wander that valley. It'd be a fitting end for such a backwater country, don't you think? At any rate, it was a country of cowards, led by a king who's gone into hiding. Who cares?" Dilandau smirked. A voice cut in from the crowd to the right. Ava could see a man with black hair and a red shirt spitting out the words angrily: "Not showing yourself during a battle is what's cowardly, wouldn't you say? Dilandau looked over lazily, and strode over, the crowd parting for him like the red sea. But Ava could see him push the man who talked right out of the way, and address someone behind him. "I've never seen clothes like yours before. Where are you from, girl?" Allen appeared beside him. "She's my new lover, I found her in the east. Her name is Hitomi." Allen leaned forward and kissed her. Ava could see Dilandau step back in disgust, and she could clearly see the girl now. She had short-cropped hair, and wore a sailor uniform that seemed familiar to Ava some how. Didn't they have something like that on earth in some countries? She didn't have time to ponder it, for Dilandau was speaking again. "You live up to your reputation Allen Shezar. I hope you put the same effort into our provisions." And with that, Dilandau spun on his heels, and descended through the lines of the Dragonslayers, who followed.  
  
When they reached the hangar and took off, Dilandau's voice cracked over the comm. " We're going back to the Vionne. When we arrive, I want you to get ready and stand by: We're going into battle,"  
  
--~--  
  
Trees surrounded the Dragonslayers. Dilandau's voice cracked over the comm in Ava's ear. "All units, hold position." Then she heard him mutter, "I'm through playing hide and seek."  
  
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Whee! Plez R&R. And the Next chapter will be quite a bit longer, this was just the least awkward place to end it.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: A 'How-To' in seduction from Dilandau, Delusional Princes, and something very serious happens to our favorite Dragonslayer (commander) 


	8. And Now, Ladies and Gents: I Give You th...

I'm going to do something I haven't done in any other chapter, and I haven't the foggiest idea why: thank all those who reviewed. It really means the world to me, and I'm rather surprised at my own lack of gratitude (or at least show of). Thank you thank you, they make my day.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, etc. Jessica drinks her own pee and should thusly be reprimanded, etc.  
  
On with the show!  
  
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And Now, Ladies and Gents: I Give You the King of Fanalia  
  
  
  
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Ava released a Crima claw and flung a catapult through the air. They had attacked the Asturian Castle, which was now burning, people scattered and running, trying to fuel their feeble counter-attack against the Dragonslayers. "Smash everything! Set it on fire! Smoke out Escaflowne!" Dilandau's manic voice shouted in their ears. It was no secret to the Dragonslayers that they were after Escaflowne, but it was becoming a bit of a bother to find it; it was nowhere to be seen. Ava scanned the scene before her once more for the Escaflowne, while Dilandau kept shouting to himself over the comm.. ("Burn, Burn!") Folken's smooth voice entered the frequency. "This is foolish. How long are you going to resort to senseless slaughter?" "This is the surest was to destroy any evidence," Dilandau panted. "All we have to do now is capture Escaflowne once it's smoked out. Folken's tired voice rang out once more. "Do you think that Allen Shezar would do something as foolish as allowing himself be herded by a fire?" "What are you getting at?" Dilandau demanded cautiously. "The waterfall at the cliff behind the castle. They say that birds build nests behind waterfalls to prevent them from being attacked." Dilandau, grasping the concept, swore. "They're behind the castle!" he shouted to the Dragonslayers.  
  
---~---~----~----  
  
Once Dilandau had the waterfall epiphany, the battle between the two sides grew evermore tense. Van Fanel, king of Fanalia, had left the Crusade via his Guymelef, which, coincidentally, had the flying form of a Dragon. Realizing that this was the 'Dragon' Dornkirk was so bent up on, Dilandau ordered the Dragonslayers after him.  
  
The Dragonslayers dropped neatly to the ground and initiated their stealth cloaks. Dilandau toyed with Escaflowne for a while, before emerging. "Gotcha. You set yourself up as a decoy to let the others escape, I bet. I can't stand that heroic crap!" he hissed, and struck Van. "I hate it!" he shouted pummeling Escaflowne. It fell to it's knees. Ava looked on, unimpressed. He was down already? Suddenly Folken's silky voice crackled in the ears of the Dragonslayers. "Are you trying to kill him, Dilandau? I thought I told you he was to be captured alive." Dilandau shot back smugly. "I was just having a little fun, Strategos."  
  
--~-- Ava, Dallet, Chesta and Miguel patrolled around the Vionne. They had captured Escaflowne and Van Fanel, and hid themselves in a Levistone air field in a deep ravine. They flew about, casually, to search and destroy. It was useless, Ava thought. They wouldn't find them here.  
  
--~---~ --~---~  
  
A few hours later, Ava was alone in her room. Suddenly, Dilandau pushed open the door and strode in. Ava, lying on the bed in a tank top and shorts, didn't look up, but continued reading a rather large, leather-bound book.  
  
"-Look Miguel, I told you. I'll pierce your nipple tomorrow, just go see Fol-" she had looked up and seen him. "Oh. Excuse me Sir. I thought you were someone else." Her cheeks turned a little red. "Obviously," he drawled, as he leaned against the doorframe, smirking. "Nipples?" she smiled awkwardly. "It's what he wanted.."  
  
"Be that as it may, You're going to interrogate the prisoner," he started. Ava hrumphed. How about saying please?"  
  
"He's in the interrogation room. Folken drugged him, so he'll be out for a while. But you need to do it as soon as he's awake, while he's still malleable. And it turns out that Fanel is Folken's brother." Ava was shocked. Folken had a brother? If that's true, then why isn't he the King of Fanalia? And why the hell is he with Zaibach? But before she could voice any of this, Dilandau went on:  
  
"Folken wants him to join Zaibach, and he said that you're to use-" Dilandau coughed "any means necessary." Ava sighed. Clearly, He meant use her "Girlish charms" and even seduce, if necessary. Folken bashfully taught them about this kind of thing in her training sessions with Naria and Eriya, but it was all theory. She'd never tried it before. Dilandau was watching her impatiently. "Yes, Dilandau-sama." She said.  
  
--~--~--  
  
Van stayed out for a long time. Ava was getting impatient. She stood in the shadows, watching the figure who was bound to a metal device, shaped like a reclining chair, much like the ones that they had on earth, at what was it called? The dentist.  
  
Ava considered the man strapped in the center of the dark room, directly under the only light. It turned out he was actually pretty close to her age, from what she could tell. And he was fairly good looking, in the lost puppy kind of way. It would make her job much easier, so she was thankful for that. She still didn't think that she should be doing this, however. True, she kind of knew what she was doing in theory, but she had never been one to really use her femininity as a weapon. She grew up in isolation, and was then thrown into the army in a squadron of teenage boys. Sure, there was sexual tension, but she was still just one of the guys, cursing and belching and blowing stuff up right along with them.  
  
Van moaned softly and came to, opening his eyes. Ava watched as he blinked to focus, and noticed the restraints. He looked frightened. Ava chuckled, and his eyes darted around into the darkness.  
  
"Who's there?" he said. "Brother?" "Brother?" Ava thought. "This guy's more doped up than I thought." She stepped out of the shadows slowly, smirking.  
  
"Fanel," she said.  
  
"Who are you?" Van asked, wide-eyed.  
  
"Who am I?" Ava repeated. "I am a dream, a figment in your imagination. I am an omen." She said, strolling around him slowly, inwardly gagging at the cheesiness. She unzipped her jacket and let it fall off her shoulders to the floor, before turning to face him. He was goggling at her. She sat down next to him, letting her fingers graze his arm. "Join us," she breathed. "I know the conflict within you. You're lonely. Join us and you will be with your brother always, as it was meant to be." She could see the struggle within Van. That was good, her words were hitting home. "You'll never have to worry again. Don't you want all the pain to go away?" she said, a trace of a seductive smile on her face, brushing a lock of raven hair out of his confused, puppy dog eyes. "We can make all the hurting stop." She whispered softly into his ear. He smelled vaguely of field grass.  
  
"N-no." he said, strangled. Ava put on a mock pout. Frankly, she didn't give a rat's ass what this guy did, but she knew she had to try.  
  
"Aw," she said, climbing onto the recliner until she was straddling him, "Please? It would make Folken-sama happy. and me happy." she said, inches from his face. It was plain to see that Van was delirious, and he was fighting to clear his head and make sense of what was going on. "Just say yes." she breathed, lips tickling his neck. Van was looking frantic now, as if he wanted to say yes, but couldn't remember why he shouldn't, although he knew there was a reason why not. Something caught Ava's attention over Van's head. She peered into the darkness, squinting. It was Dilandau, watching. He was looking at Van something of a mixture both amusement, and malice. Ava turned red. He saw her parading around like a succubus, acting skanky.  
  
"H-Hitomi..: Van sputtered suddenly, as if he finally recalled something he had been trying hard to remember. Huh? Ava thought, and sat up. Then she heard Allen Shezar's voice in her head: "She's my new lover. I found her in the east. Her name is Hitomi." It was that short haired girl with the sailor uniform. Did Van like this girl? Before she could react, Van shouted her name again. "Hitomi! HITOMI!!" He yelled. Ava jumped down, watching Van's unfocused eyes dart around. "HELP! Brother!." Van yelled. He had broken out into a cold sweat, and suddenly screamed out with great magnitude, and then was silent. He had passed out again. Ava looked up at Dilandau. He shrugged, and motioned for her to follow. She picked her jacket off the floor and followed him outside, closing the door behind her.  
  
"Hmm. You failed," he said, although he didn't look all that mad. Just amused. Ava frowned, embarrassed. Dilandau smirked. " I didn't know Folken taught you how to take your clothes off and straddle people." Ava turned pink.  
  
"I've never done that before. I could've had him." She said to a spot on the floor, as she zipped up her armor.  
  
"Hm. No matter. It's Folken's problem. And-" he stopped, and looked like he wasn't quite sure how to go on, "you did alright."  
  
If Ava didn't know any better, she'd say that sounded like a compliment.  
  
---~----~  
  
For the third time that evening, Guimel managed to impale himself with a dart.  
  
Ava could see him with his wounded digit thrust in his mouth, but no less enjoying the merriment of playing darts, in a bar, while drunk. Ava, on the other hand, was sitting safely at the large, crude wooden table with the rest of the Dragonslayers. They had promptly decided that, after a mission well-done, they all deserved a reward, especially if in drunken-partying form, and had therefore filed out of the Vionne, Guymelef after Guymelef, and had infiltrated the nearest pub.  
  
The nearest pub, as it turned out, reminded Ava of something right out of a pirate movie she had seen on earth. The high ceilings with antique-looking (and filthy) tapestries, large wooden tables resembling something would encounter at the butcher, high backed chairs and lit by torches. As well as bar wenches. Lots of them.  
  
Ava sat, elbows on the table and running her finger along the edge of her half-empty mug. The others were carrying on a rather loud and animated conversation about God-knows-what, but Ava sat in silence, looking into her beer. It wasn't that she was not enjoying the festivities, but heavy drinking at a fast rate had always led her downward, and she got lethargic and introverted, and fast. She blinked once, hard. The grain in the table was swirling.  
  
Standing up, then recovering from a stagger, she was suddenly stiflingly hot. She quickly peeled off her Armor, but kept her sword scabbard strapped securely to her waist. Then she smirked. Nothing makes a good mix like booze and sharp weaponry. Clad now only in her blue tank top from the waist up, she pushed through the crowd to the restrooms.  
  
'Is there even a girl's room in here?' she muttered to herself after strongly discouraging a pass from a much older, much drunker man.  
  
After safely finding and using the washroom, she entered the crowded bar again. From across the room, she spotted a busty server lean in close beside Dilandau, the top of her breasts grazing his shoulder as she set a full pitcher on the table. Faces close, he turned and gazed at her, the corners of his mouth turned up in a sultry smile. She winked back.  
  
Suddenly finding herself slightly sober, Ava pushed her way once more through the crowd, only being careful to pass by the bar wench and deliberately elbowing her hard, causing her to drop a tray of empty glasses. When she reached her seat, she gulped down the full beer in front of Miguel ("Hey!"). She poured herself another, and slouched over her drink. Suddenly Guimel was pulling her up excitedly.  
  
"Hey! Hey, Ava, I got a GREAT idea. I dare you to.." And he whispered, or certainly what Guimel though was whispering, into her ear. She broke into an evil grin. She certainly was drunk enough.  
  
Guimel dragged her onto a small, levitated platform. They murmured something to the greasy chap sitting in the corner behind odd-looking equipment, he nodded, and she stepped forward to the front of the platform, facing the rest of the bar. Guimel stayed back and was stamping his foot with glee.  
  
A sexy, heavy beat sounded up from behind her. The music had started. Giggling slightly and swaying on the spot, she watched the rest of the occupants grow quiet and watch her with mild interest. She heard a whistle somewhere in the back.  
  
She started rocking slightly with the beat, and cleared her throat:  
  
Never know how much I love you  
  
Never know how much I care  
  
When you put your arms around me  
  
I get a fever that's so hard to bear  
  
With renewed confidence, she started swaying her hips and dancing with more fervor.  
  
Listen to me baby, hear every word I say  
  
No one can love you the way I do  
  
'Cause they don't know how to love you my way  
  
Somebody made a cat-call, to which she responded by grinding her hips seductively and moving with various other tantalizing and provocative dance movies. Seeing those Britney Spears music videos was paying off.  
  
You give me fever, when you kiss me  
  
Fever when you hold me tight  
  
Fever in the morning  
  
Fever all through the night  
  
As she sang and taunted the ranging testosterone, she glanced at the Dragonslayers, and was met with fourteen mouths hanging wide-open in astonishment. Most surprisingly, so was Dilandau's.  
  
---~----~--- The next morning, or afternoon, rather, Ava dragged herself out of bed to tackle the mother-of-all hangovers. She was in for it now, she had over- slept. Swaggering over to her bath-kit, she grabbed her stuff and headed for a much-needed shower.  
  
Now cleaned and feeling significantly better, Ava, now in uniform, was making her way through the corridors towards the Cafeteria when she heard the alarm sound.  
  
---~--~---~  
  
Ava rushed into the anchorage just in time to see the Crusade sail off. Dilandau was walking unsteadily near the door, among all the dead soldiers. He was alone. Ava approached cautiously. Dilandau seemed to be dazed.he was mumbling and holding his hand to his face. Ava drew nearer, stepping over the bodies of the fallen.  
  
"Dilandau-sama." she stopped short. Blood was leaking out from under his fingers, down his face and arm. She rushed over. "Dilandau-sama! Are you alright? What happened?" At first he ignored her.  
  
"How. How dare you. My face." he murmured softly in disbelief. His eyes came back into focus and he looked at her. "What?" he said, though not rudely. Just confused.  
  
'What happened?" Ava repeated. Dilandau blinked and looked at his bloody hands. He was swiftly filled with rage.  
  
"How dare he! How dare he mangle me like this and escape! I hate him!" he screamed, kicking a dead soldier. Ava watched with morbid disbelief, but Dilandau was still again, head downcast in livid defeat. Ava knew she was overstepping her boundaries, but she approached him anyway, touching his shoulder gently. He flinched, but he didn't slap her, which was more than she expected.  
  
---~----~  
  
Dilandau sat on the countertop in the locker room. Ava stood in from of him, liberally applying disinfectant fluid to a clean cloth. She carefully, and very cautiously brought it to the wound. Dilandau jumped back form the touch like a stuck pig and slapped her.  
  
"Ow! That hurt!" Dilandau spat. Ava ignored the dull sting in her cheek and suppressed the urge to say things one shouldn't express to a commanding officer.  
  
"It will only sting for a moment, and if we don't look after it, it will get infected or scar," This had the effect Ava was hoping for, for Dilandau appeared to consider that.  
  
"Fine, then. But be gentle." Ava bit back a perverse, juvenile comment and once again dabbed the cut.  
  
"You might need sutures. Perhaps you should go see the Madoshi, Lord Dilandau."  
  
"No!" She shot out unexpectedly, then recovered himself. "No. I'm not going to them. For anything." Ava snorted.  
  
"I don't blame you. They're creepy. Have you ever noticed their fascination with children? That's just..creepy." Ava meant it to be a joke, but it didn't have the desired effect on Dilandau. Instead he just looked deeply disturbed. Ava took that as a sign that it was time to shut up. She worked in silence for a few more minutes, applying a bandage to the cut and clearing the dried blood off his sleeve. It was not an uncomfortable silence; Dilandau was looking off into space pensively, which wasn't unordinary, and Ava continued playing doctor. At last, she put the bottles of fluids in the cabinet, signifying they were finished.  
  
Dilandau was looking at her now, with that intense, piercing gaze that only he possessed. His face was mere inches from hers, but she didn't dare move. She could feel the neat radiating off his skin and smell the Vino on his light breath over the vinegar small of the disinfectant. His breath rustled a few strands of her hair. Then quite suddenly, he jumped down from the counter and walked away.  
  
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That was a fun one to write. Please R 'n' R, it makes me ever so happy. Please check out my site. It's got Illustrations from above story, and I updated it today. www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: The Dragonslayers go on a trip, Something happens to Dilandau and they must find the culprit, and Ava gets into serious, bad-news trouble. 


	9. Canned Heat

Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne, or any other references I use, (like the title) etc.  
  
Thank you for Reviewing!  
  
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Chapter 9  
  
Canned Heat  
  
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The Dragonslayers had set out early that morning in their Guymelefs. They were traveling to Radezylia, a country in the mountains to the north. It was more of a diplomatic mission that anything, they were traveling there on behalf of the Zaibach Empire to seal a new trade agreement. The Dragonslayers, Ava was reminded for the umpteenth time, had gained a lot more power that what they had when she was here before, they never would have been involved with political movements like this or the trade with Allen Shezar. In addition, they no longer dined in the shoddy cafeteria (unless they wanted to, which Guimel often did,) they had a private dining room to themselves, with exquisite food and atmosphere.  
  
The palace, Ava noted upon arrival, more closely resembled a posh mountain resort. The area was known for its hot springs, and the palace seemed to be in no short supply, she saw as they landed. A landing party had come to greet them, led by the king himself. The Dragonslayers and Folken jumped down from their 'Melefs, falling into formation. Ava watched the King out of the side of her eye. Dilandau and Folken had stepped forward to greet them, and the King introduced himself formally.  
  
"Ah yes, Lord Dilandau, Lord Folken, a pleasure. I am King Armand de Radez. Welcome." Ava could see he was one of those men that was quite done up about his appearance. He had remarkably tailored hair, with deep plum robes and a huge, cosmopolitan grin. Dilandau looked annoyed, but didn't voice it.  
  
"We thank you, in the name of Zaibach. These are the Dragonslayers," Dilandau said, motioning to them with his outstretched arm. Radez looked over them uninterested, until seeing Ava, whence he did a double take. His face broke out in a suave grin, and strode up to her. "Well, isn't that a surprise! A woman in the Dragonslayers. And beautiful too." Radez grinned, looked her up and down in a way that made her very uncomfortable. However, she didn't move out of formation. Clearly this man didn't think of women as much more than something to indulge in when the mood strikes him. Dilandau came up beside him, looking furious.  
  
"Shall we?." he said with calmness that didn't match his emotions, leading Radez away. "Well, I suppose," Radez said. Folken followed alongside, the corners of his mouth twisting up slightly.  
  
--~--~--~  
  
Ava waited in the women's change rooms. All the Dragonslayers and Folken were expected to meet with Radez in the hot spring that waited just outside. Ava did NOT wish to join them. After all, these were the old fashioned hot springs, where you go in the nude. There is a screen where men and women can enter the spring without members of the opposite sex seeing, and then move into the main area of the spring, which is co-ed. But to get to those screens, which stand a ways away, you must walk out of the change room in plain sight of the men.  
  
One of the maids in the change room ushered Ava to join them. Going against the voice in her gut that was saying "nononononononono" she wrapped herself tightly in towel, and moved towards the door, where she could hear the chatting of the others.  
  
The minute she stepped out the door, the area became quiet. She looked around at them. Some of the Dragonslayers were goggling at her, as she was clad only in a tiny towel, which barely covered what she had intended it to. She made a mental note to club Guimel, who was making faces at her. Not everyone was watching, however. Folken was engrossed in conversation with a heavily make-upped, large breasted woman, clearly a concubine. Ava's eyes met with Radez. He winked at her very suggestively. No one else had seen, and Ava inwardly gagged, hurrying to the screens. She entered the water, leaving her towel on the walkway, and then wading out to the main area. She seated herself along the edge next to Folken.  
  
She laughed inwardly. Folken was droning on about Zaibach technology, about the things that were being developed, and other complicated scientific matters. The concubine smiled at him stupidly, although beautifully. She giggled at random now and then, brushing Folken's arm with her fingers. Ava rolled her eyes. What an airhead  
  
Someone had sat down beside her. Looking around, she saw the close-up face of Radez. "Hello there, darling." he said softly, staring straight at her breasts. "What might your name be?" Ava looked around for help, but no one was paying attention. "Uh... Ava." She said helplessly. "Ava, hmm?" Radez said, brushing her neck with his fingers. Ava sank lower in the water. Radez moved closer. Something underneath the water brushed up against her leg. Ava, realizing what it was, turned three shades of green. Ugh.. She heard Ryoun snickering loudly. Suddenly Dilandau waded up. "Discussing the plan with Ava?" Dilandau said, with a trace of malice. Radez turned to him, looking quite annoyed. Over his turned shoulder Ava mouthed an exasperated 'THANK YOU!!' At Dilandau. The corner of his mouth turned up slightly. Dilandau turned back to Radez, and promptly engaging him in diplomatic discussion that he couldn't escape. Ava took this opportunity to go hide by Chesta, Miguel and Viole.  
  
"Bloody hell, I can still smell the testosterone from over here" Ava said bitterly. Miguel chuckled.  
  
--~--  
  
In the change room, after they were done in the springs, the maids had brought Ava a beautiful dinner gown. It was kimono-like, a silky, tapestry material with a navy lotus flower pattern, and an ice blue silk undergarment, the bottom showing from under the hem of the robes, and over the top of the collar. The maids had promptly dressed her up, and were now fiddling about with her hair and giving her a touch of make up. She enjoyed being pampered like this; it wasn't something she was used to. Being in "this man's army" didn't really give her much of a chance to feel girly very often.  
  
She joined everyone for dinner, sitting at an incredible marble dining table, in a room with large windows and ivory columns. Radez looked at her as though he wanted her to occupy the seat beside him, but luckily, there was only one more empty space, at the opposite end of the table. She thanked the powers-that-be for that.  
  
Dinner turned out to be a rather tedious affair, with one mildly interesting detail: This 'trade agreement' they were to discuss really was just a fancy name for Radez sweet-talking the Zaibachian army to attack their enemy country, Camdala. They were to set out at dawn.  
  
-----~----  
  
Ava sat, submersed to her collarbone in liquid metal. She waited, surveying the scene before her. The Camdala palace spanned before her, and she was surrounded on wither side by the other 'slayers in the guymelefs. The palace before them was burning; think billowing smoke reaching up to the heavens. Soldiers were fighting all around them, as they awaited their orders.  
  
Dilandau's voice crackled over the comm.- link. "Listen up! The king is in the northeast tower beyond the barracks. I want him alive, but kill whoever gets in your way. Let's move out!"  
  
And he laughed.  
  
--~--~--~--~  
  
Sweat trickled down Ava's forehead. The northeastern tower, it seemed, was better protected than the 'Slayers had anticipated. Guymelef units were starting to force them back, but the Dragonslayers held fast. Ava deflected a sword attack, and promptly shot a Crima claw through the cockpit. The Guymelef fell. A voice crackled in her ear. "Heads up! We have more company! Dalet shouted.  
  
Ava knocked down another unit with some difficulty and looked. Dozens of Guymelefs were coming over the ridge, and Ava felt a cold chill run up her spine. They couldn't fight all those off. Dilandau swore. 'Dragonslayers retreat!" he shouted. "I-I can't!" came the voice of Chesta. "My energist was crushed!" Ava heard Dilandau swear again. Suddenly Ava had an idea. Running up to his unit, she shouted back "Open your hatch and stand up!" "Are you mad??" Dilandau and Chesta both shouted at the same time. "Trust me," said Ava. Steam spouted from Chesta's hatch and she saw his head emerge cautiously from the cockpit. Quickly, she shot a claw at him, wrapping it securely around him. He grimaced, and color drained from his face, but he didn't say anything. "Move it!" came Dilandau's voice in her ear. The Dragonslayers switched to flight mode, and sped off towards the thick forest. The enemy units pursued; they could not fly, but they charged into the forest after them all the same.  
  
They flew in silence for a long time. Ava kept a close eye on Chesta, who was looking a little green, pressed up against the chest of her 'Melef. "We need to stop here" Dilandau's voice cut in after a time. "Our energist levels are almost spent. If we go on, we'll crash. Those Camdalian troops would be stupid to still be after us," he added with malice. They set down in a small clearing and hid their Guymelef's under large trees.  
  
Ava gently set Chesta on the plush foliage. He smiled up at her, still looking slightly queasy. Ava jumped down from the cockpit. Dilandau jumped down from his Alseides, looking pissed, muttering something about ignorant Camdalians and camping. Miguel looked about thoughtfully. "We should build a shelter and fire. Who knows how long we'll be here?" Dilandau heard this and looked even more annoyed.  
  
The slayers set out into the forest, looking for firewood and useful materials. The day grew hotter, and the laborious task of dragging large heavy logs caused Miguel and Dilandau to shed their armor jackets and undershirt, their muscular backs shining with sweat. Miguel, Ava mused, was quite tanned. As she sat up in a tree cutting down palm leaves, she felt her eyes drawn to Dilandau, who had housed a broken tree trunk over his shoulders. His dog tags made a soft clinking sound as he moved about, and sweat glistened over his defined back. He was so.meaty.Ava snapped out of it and mentally slapped herself. It wasn't good to go think things like that about her commanding officer.  
  
By now everyone had shed their armor jackets, and a few more had peeled off their undershirts. And, in Guimel's case, their pants too. Well, that solves the boxers-or-briefs dilemma, thought Ava, as Guimel frolicked amongst the foliage in his tighty-whities, picking berries and laughing.  
  
--~--~  
  
The sun was starting to set, and they had managed to build a pretty decent shelter, and had a nice fire going. Ava and Gatti had crept off for a while, and managed to catch a wild pig, which was now on a spit over the fire, fat dripping and smelling tasty after a hard day's work.  
  
Everyone sat around the fire. Ava slumped down between Dalet and Gatti on a big stump; Gatti was in the middle of a story about some legend of the Mystic Moon. Ava wasn't really paying attention, it sounded kind of boring. Dilandau was staring into the fire quietly, lightly stroking his cheek. Ava took a swig of water from her canteen, and passed it to him. He turned and looked at her, the hardness of his scarlet eyes fading momentarily, and he drank, punching her on the shoulder good-naturedly in thanks.  
  
Night came, and many of the slayers stayed up long into the night. It had grown cold, so Ava pulled the emergency blankets from the 'Melefs, wrapped one around her, and passed the rest around the circle. One by one the slayers started going into the shelter to go to bed. By the time Ava went to bed, there were still several slayers huddled by the fire, murmuring, or simply sitting, as Dilandau was.  
  
She awoke sometime during the night. Everyone was asleep now, and the fire had died down, so everything was enveloped in darkness. Everyone was curled up against each other for warmth. Lying half-blind in the darkness, Ava felt a mild weight drop down on top of her. Dilandau was starting to lie down beside her, and was sharing his blanket with her, pulling the remaining half over himself. Ava felt sleep encase her once more. --~  
  
Dilandau laid awake long after everyone else had gone to sleep. He had been sitting by the fire alone for a time, thinking. He pondered their previous battle, annoyed at their bad luck. He crawled into the shelter, grabbing a blanket of Ryoun. (He had two) and went to lie in an empty spot beside Ava. She had no blanket at all (greedy shit, Ryoun, he thought) and dropped half of his over her. He stared at the ceiling; he could not sleep. He frequently had problems sleeping. Demons haunted him in his dreams, foggy images of past lives and false truths. Suddenly Ava, still asleep, turned over. She flung an arm over his chest and nestled her head in the crook of his arm. She brought her leg up, which caused it to rub up against him. He blinked in mild surprise. After a time, Dilandau felt the enveloping haziness of sleep upon him. He liked that; how sleep could overcome you, and you can forget. Forget who, or what you are. You just are. Dilandau closed his eyes.  
  
--~  
  
Ava awoke. The sun had been up for a while, it appeared. Then Ava realized the spot beside her was cold. Dilandau was not there. Or in the shelter at all. She got out and looked around the campsite and guymelefs. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. She saw his armor jacket and sword propped against a stump, where it had been the previous night. But Dilandau was gone.  
  
--~--~--~--~  
  
Ava stood back while Miguel, who was second in command, spoke with Folken over the comm.-link. Ava had woken everyone up when she realized that Dilandau was missing. They tapped the remaining energy sources from all the guymelefs, and channeled that power into one, to use the comm. to contact the Vione. Folken was on his way there.  
  
Folken arrived within the hour. The Melefs were brought to their docking bays, and Folken met with the slayers in the meeting room.  
  
"I looked at some of the evidence from the campsite. We've had spies looking for him since we received news of his disappearance. Along with what our spies have gathered, we have pinpointed who abducted Dilandau, and where he is." He said, flicking a switch on a machine. A projection sprang up of the wall. "This is a floor plan of the building he's in. It's the Asturian Palace, located in Pallas, Asturia. It is believed that the youngest princess is involved, as well as the King of Fanalia-" he wavered slightly "- and Allen Shezar, Knight of Caeli."  
  
Pictures of all three people replaced the blueprints as he spoke, then the image returned to the castle floor plans. "At the rime the info was gathered, Dilandau was being held here," Folken said, pointing at a room on the top floor. "We need to assemble a team for rescue. Any Volunteers?" Several slayers put their hands up, Ava included. Folken looked around for a brief moment. "Chesta and Ava may stay for debriefing. The rest of you are dismissed," Folken said. When everyone had left, Folken sat down at the table. Together, the three of them hatched a plan.  
  
  
  
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Hmm. There we go. I lied; Ava hasn't gotten in serious serious trouble yet. But that's coming up SOON.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Dilandau's fantastic rescue, Ava confronts the assailants, and gets *the* ball rolling (whatever that means)  
  
Thanks to all those who R&R'd!! YAY! *cough* www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm *cough* 


	10. The Suave Mr Shezar

Thank you for all the fantastic reviews, they please me so much! Disclaimer: You know the drill  
  
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Dilandau's arms were aching. But he ignored the pain. For the time being, he was tied to a chair, his arms bound tightly behind, legs tied to the chair. He had sat alone for several hours now, but he knew there was a guard right outside the door. The room he was in was dark, dank and depressing. It was a large storage room, though it seemed that it wasn't the room's original intent. There was metal shelves holding boxes all around, but a balcony came off one wall, showing outside.  
  
The door opened, and several people walked in. The first was the youngest Asturian princess (he couldn't remember her name). She was flanked by a pink-haired cat girl, a girl with short, boyish honey-brown hair, (that bitch from the Mystic Moon, he realized,) Allen Shezar, and.Van Fanel. Hate boiled up within Dilandau. He had been in earlier, with a maid. The maid had brought him food, but Van refused to let her untie his hands to eat. So the only option left was for the maid to hand feed him, because Van sure as hell wasn't about to go near. Dilandau, of course, had refused to eat anything. When the maid kept persisting and he got annoyed, he had bitten her, causing her to jump back and splash wine all over Van. It was well worth the effort, Dilandau thought.  
  
Allen approached Dilandau, followed by Van. He spoke quietly in Allen's ear.  
  
"Are you sure about this?" Allen nodded firmly, arms crossed. Then looking determined, he stepped towards Dilandau.  
  
"Celena.can you hear me?" He said softly, as if speaking to a frightened child. Dilandau burst out laughing. Allen looked ruffled. "I'll thank you for not laughing, Dilandau. My sister is trapped inside there somewhere."  
  
"Afraid I'm the only one home, Allen Shezar. Did you really think that your wimpy little whore of a sister was a part of me? You're naïve as well as stupid. Celena is dead. She died when I was born." He said indifferently. Allen, who was normally composed, cool as a cucumber in any situation, could not contain his anger. He struck Dilandau, across the face, causing his head to snap to the side. Dilandau stayed like that for a moment, then slowly turned his head to face them once more, grinning acidly and eyes smoldering. Suddenly he took a fast breath and spat, causing a gob of saliva to land right below Allen's eye, some splattering into his hair, his biggest vanity. Allen looked stunned. "What you see is what you get." Dilandau said, again indifferently. Allen wiped the spit from his face pompously.  
  
"Alright then. But don't think this is over." And with that, he spun around and left, everyone following.  
  
--~---  
  
Ava sat in the lower branches of a large tree, and waited. Instead of donning her regular, clunky armor, she wore a black cat suit and had her hair up in a tight plait. She was watching the servant's entrance, and after watching their patterns for a time, Ava guessed one would be coming out soon to dispose of some garbage. Sure enough, one came out. Ava slowly and quietly grabbed the straw-like tube attached to her belt and loaded it with a poisoned needle. She put the tube to her mouth and blew; the maid crumpled almost instantly. Ava jumped down and started towards her.  
  
--~---  
  
Dilandau was alone again in the semi-darkened room. After a time, the door opened, and two figures entered. It was a maid, as before, and Millerna, instead of Van. The two approached, Millerna in front, walking briskly. She turned away, complaining all the while about being there. The maid came forward and laid the food tray she was carrying near Dilandau's feet, and he resolved to kick it at her, but before he could do anything, the maid looked up and winked. To Dilandau's surprise, it was Ava, barely recognizable. She was wearing a head wrap and make-up to deceive her appearance. Then, before anything else could be exchanged between them, Ava turned and left the room.  
  
--~-  
  
Ava returned to the servant's quarters. To her surprise, and mild distaste, Van, Hitomi and the others were there, seated around the large table in the center of the room. Allen turned to her as she entered and asked her to prepare some tea. She shot him a dirty look that nobody saw, and set to work without a word.  
  
When it was ready, she brought the tray to the table and set it by Allen. Without warning, he placed his hand firmly upon her ass, and whispered in her ear that he would like to employ her other services in his quarters later. The others didn't notice this, Van and Hitomi had disappeared, Millerna was still with Dilandau, and Merle was rummaging through the pantry, only her tail visible through the door. Ava tried hard to suppress the urge to vomit. She didn't want to look suspicious to Allen, so she just nodded dumbly. Clearly he had done this sort of thing before, and it was the response he was waiting for.  
  
It was time to get Dilandau, Ava decided. She exited through the servant's doors to the courtyard, carrying a basket of linens. She doubled back to where she had attacked the maid earlier. She had stashed her sword in the corner, in a large tree. She retrieved it, and went around to another entrance. Without making herself seen, she made her way up to the top floor. Heading to a dark corner, Ava shed her maid outfit, the cat suit still underneath. Nobody would be around here; Allen and the others didn't want anyone to interfere with Dilandau. Ava turned the corner into the large foyer near Dilandau's room. But there was someone there.  
  
Van Fanel. He stood in the center, holding his still-sheathed sword, watching her through his lazy chestnut eyes, waiting. Ava was taken aback, but didn't show it.  
  
"How did you know?" she asked simply, stepping into the grand marble entrance, also gripping her still-sheathed sword.  
  
"Hitomi saw who you were," he said. "When you came in the kitchen. She could see you in Zaibach. She knew right away what you were here for." He said calmly. Ava lifted an eyebrow.  
  
"I should think it's rather obvious why I'm here, Fanel. You have taken something that doesn't belong to you."  
  
Van looked at her dangerously. "You're wrong. Dilandau was stolen from Allen, long ago, as Celena, and turned into that.monster." He said, emotion filling his voice. Rage flared up in Ava. She drew her sword with lightning speed, and attacked Van. He met her assault with his own sword, and deflected her oncoming blows.  
  
"Dilandau doesn't belong to anyone, especially you. He is not Celena, they are not the same person. Celena died long ago, and Dilandau isn't who you think." She shouted between strikes. She was a fair sword fighter, and Van defended her attacks without much ease. She had even managed to get in a few good gashes and cuts. But Van was also a very good swordsman, equally matched, one way or another. The two fought on for a while, no one gaining much ground over the other. Van pushed her back with his sword against hers, and they broke apart, panting. Ava looked at him with her eyes full of malice. "Step aside, Van Fanel. This doesn't concern you. I am simply retrieving who was abducted from us."  
  
"Then your quarrel is with me. If you want him, you have to go through me." Ava grinned back at him maliciously, lowering her sword slightly.  
  
"If that's what you want," she lunged at him with unanticipated speed, catching Van off guard. She kicked him hard in the chest, winding him. Then she crashed the hilt of her sword down on his head. Can's vision clouded and swirled, then grew black. Ava had knocked him unconscious, and he was now sprawled on the floor. She ran straight for Dilandau's room, but just as she started off, she heard shouting. Allen and the others had entered, at the far end of the very long corridor. "shitshitshit" she muttered, and threw herself inside the closest room. Once inside, she grabbed a couple of mops that were conveniently lying nearby, and shoved them through the door handles. She busted out onto the balcony, and looked at the balconies on either side. Dilandau's room was to the left more, so with a huge leap, she barley made it to the neighboring balcony. She peered through the glass doors frantically. Allen and Company were sure to be close.  
  
Dilandau was still alone. She could see his face. He was slouched over, and had a lazy, half asleep look on his face. She tried the doors, but they were locked. The fingers of her gloves, luckily, were diamond-ended, and Ava cut a hole by the handle and opened it from the inside. Dilandau snapped to attention, and looked at her. He looked quite happy that she was there. They could both hear increasing shouting outside the door.  
  
"Get me outta here!" He said frantically  
  
"I'm working on it." She said, slicing through his bonds. Dilandau sprang to his feet, just as Allen and Co., along with royal guards, crashed through the doors. Dilandau and Ava raced over to the balcony, and Ava ripped the flare gun off her belt and shot it straight into the air, causing red sparks to cascade directly above them, high in the air. To Allen and the others, it looked like they were cornered, and they started forward.  
  
Ava took the needle shooter and launched one into the nearest guard, making him fall, tripping a few others along the way. The others stopped, not wanting to get shot either. Allen felt the color drain from his face, when he saw Ava clearly.  
  
"The maid.?" he stammered. Ava winked at him with mock seduction. "Looks like I won't make it to your quarters, like you wanted. But at least now we all know the rumors are true." Allen, flushed with embarrassment, charged. Ava grabbed Dilandau's hand, and jumped from the towering balcony.  
  
They Plummeted. Ava's stomach was in her throat, as she clung to Dilandau's hand rigidly. Quite swiftly, she saw silvery tentacles start to entwine around them, tightening around their bodies gently, pressing them together. They had stopped falling. Ava looked down. They were maybe 12 feet from the ground. She glanced at the cockpit of the 'melef, where Chesta grinned down at them.  
  
"About bloody time," Ava grinned. And with that, Chesta shot forward, towards the Vione. Ava squirmed a bit in Chesta's grip. The way he had caught them, they were smooshed together almost face to face. Ava was suddenly very aware of the close proximity of Dilandau. She could feel his breath on her neck, and caught the faint aroma of red wine and her skin tingled wherever it was pressed against his. She wasn't sure where to put her eyes, so she just looked to the side, watching where they were headed. It was going to be a long ride home. 


	11. The Chemicals Between Us

A big fuzzy thanks to all those who reviewed. You rock my world. (Like Bojangles, right Jess?)  
  
Sorry about the lack of updates, School has been insane, being it Diploma season and all. I shouldn't have even did this chapter. My Chemistry mark just went down the shitter.  
  
Anyway, go check out the fanart site, and expect and update very very soon. All this half nekid Dilandau has inspired me something awful. I even drew him in a towel.  
  
But anyway, on with the show!!  
  
By the way, the content of the story is progressing (or regressing, however you want to look at it) to something of a more higher-rated nature. Including but not limited to: Non-consentual sex, swearing, and more adult- themed hullaballo. You've been warmed. (And if you're anything like me, you've just been bought, too. ^_^)  
  
  
  
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Chapter Eleven: The Chemicals Between Us  
  
  
  
  
  
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Weeks passed. Or, in other words, pressure considered to grow outside Zaibach. Dilandau had just several days before encountered an incognito Escaflowne in Pallas, apparently rescuing that no-name from the Mystic Moon. Why, Ava thought to herself, Is Fanel going after Allen Shezar's booty?  
  
Training sessions continued as normal, or even harder, as Dilandau was intent on getting swordsmanship up to par for the growing feud between Fanel and his lackeys and Zaibach.  
  
The Dragonslayers stood around a large mat, watching two figures engaged in a sparring match. Ava wiped the sweat off her brow, careful not to lower her sword or take her eyes off Ryoun. He stood, tensile and ready to pounce, his eyes flashing and the corners of his mouth turned up in a malicious grin.  
  
She hated everything about him. The way he turned every simple training exercises into a competition. The way he was so cocky about it. And worst of all, the way he was beating her now.  
  
He parried forward suddenly, almost too quickly for Ava to deflect, but she did in a knick of time. She didn't have time to counter as he attacked again and again, gaining more ground on her than she was on him. An increasingly tired Ava ground her teeth together, and with new resolved, made a well-placed jab of her own, growling out as she did so. She was only inches from his stomach, so close to winning, when he deflected her blow at the last instant. Argh.  
  
He wrinkled his nose in smug pride. "Just give up now. Who knows what sexual favors you or your bastard father performed to get into the Dragonslayers, but it takes TALENT to pull the job off."  
  
Red-hot anger filled her head, and Ava lunged again, swearing at him. Suddenly, her sword was ripped from her grasp and clanged to the floor ten feet away. It was over. And she had lost. The worst part was, that she had lost to the very person she would have given anything to beat.  
  
She stared at her empty hands for a moment, panting more so in anger and defeat than in exhaustion. Suddenly a low voice was in her ear.  
  
"Well, maybe next time I'll let you win to impress Dilandau if you make it worth my while." She felt his hand brush down to her ass, and grip it firmly. She yelled out and yanked herself away from him as if she had been burnt. Spinning around angrily, she brought her foot up to Ryoun's groin. Forcefully. All the Dragonslayers cringed aloud audibly, but Ryoun made no noise, instead sinking to his knees, growing bright red in the face and clutching his wounded pride.  
  
Their eyes were locked like that, flashing angrily, Ryoun gasping and Ava huffing for air. Nobody said anything for a moment, and suddenly a strong voice cut through the tense air like a knife.  
  
"Ava. Go change, you're finished." She looked up, it was Dilandau, and he didn't look impressed. She regarded him for a moment too long. "GO!" he yelled. Ava spun angrily, speeding through the wall of Dragonslayers that sidestepped out of her way, grabbing her sword as she went, and slamming the door behind her. Dilandau waited until she was gone before he continued. Striding over to Ryoun, who was still crouched on the mat, he grabbed the collar of his armor and brought his face within inches of his own and spoke dangerously low:  
  
"If you EVER pull a stunt like that again, you'll find your way back to the streets of Freid so fast you won't know what to make of it. If I don't kill you for insubordination first."  
  
Ryoun swallowed slowly as Dilandau released him, and looked down to the mats for the first time. Yes, sir. It won't happen again.  
  
---~----~----~----`  
  
A few days passed.  
  
Ava flew into the deserted hangar after the night patrol shift in her Guymelef. Typically the routine was to go out in pairs, and Miguel had headed in a few minutes before her. She landed in her designated spot and clambered out of the cockpit, looking out into the darkened night sky. Walking up to the edge of the platform, she gazed out at the miles of darkened hills lit by a brilliant night sky full of stars. It must be late, she thought tiredly while strolling lazily towards the control room. It was mandatory that all those on patrol sign in and out at the beginning and end of a shift to maintain records of tactics.  
  
Ava threw open the door to the small, windowless room, to be met with darkness. Odd, she thought. Corey usually waits for me to sign out before he leaves. I thought it was procedure. Ava shrugged inwardly. He must be out for a nightcap, she thought.  
  
A sudden rustle pulled her thoughts away. It was coming from a shadowed corner of the room, behind a switchboard protruding in the center of the room. Ava frowned. Rats? She stepped back a couple of paces to look, but kept her distance. Fortunately, the open door cast a strip of light, and she followed it around, but only to find something she hadn't meant to find. The fleshy back of a woman came into view, and she was blocking the light of someone before. Ava narrowed her eyes. The naked female back of someone wearing a scullery maid hat. She blinked, and felt her face grow immediately red-hot. The other person was Dilandau, and from what Ava could see, he wasn't wearing much either.  
  
She tried not to drop the logbook in shock, turned away and shut her eyes with a cringe. Immediately she realized her mistake and instead plastered on a look of indifference. She just raised her eyebrow to Dilandau, whose mouth corner was turned up in a coy half-grin, and said, "Don't forget to lock the door on your way out. Sir."  
  
--~---~-----~-----~-----~-----~  
  
Ava was walking down the corridor. She was on her way to the cafeteria; she hadn't eaten all day, and was ravenous enough to get something from the gross cafeteria after her tiring night shift. She hurried down the deserted hallway, barely noting where she was. Suddenly, she was yanked into a dark side corridor and shoved, face first, against the rough wall.  
  
Ava gasped with pain as her face struck the wall. She could feel the rough stone scraping and cutting her cheek. She couldn't move, though, not even enough to see who was holding her. Whoever had pulled her in here was still jamming her against the wall. She felt a painful pressure in her shoulder as her assailant twisted her arm behind her and leaned against it. A strong arm was laid across the back of her neck, making her face scrape against the rough stones again. They pushed her legs up against the wall just enough to offset her center of balance so she couldn't move without falling. Then she heard the familiar, silky, sneering voice hissing in her ear.  
  
"It's not safe to go wandering about by yourself," Ryoun sneered. "You think you're so smart, don't you?" he chuckled quietly to himself. "You made me look like a fool. Now I'm gonna make you sorry you were ever born." Ava's heart pounded in her throat. It was the middle of the day, the chances of anyone coming through these corridors was very slim.  
  
"Nothing to say, skank?" he spat in her ear, twisting her arms behind her into her shoulder blades, the pain in her shoulder sockets shooting through her body. She could feel herself ebbing away from consciousness, the pain was so unbearable. When she didn't reply, Ryoun gave her arm a sharp jerk upwards. Ava cried out against the mind-jarring pain that had exploded in her shoulder. "That's right, scream as loud as you like," he said mockingly. "Nobody's going to hear you. Although, I wouldn't mind hearing you scream when I fuck you," he hissed against her ear. Ava's insides lurched, and her head swam. Ava struggled against his grip, despite the throbbing ache in her arm. She turned her head the small distance allowed to face him. "You fucking coward." She spat. Ryoun's grip tightened even more. "What?" he said dangerously low. "What the hell did you just call me?" "You heard me," Ava said defiantly, although just barely audible. "Guys like you, it must absolutely burn you up inside to see a girl equal you in everything. And you know it too. You know you'll always just me.second best." Ava said, laughing maniacally. A part of her knew that it was a very stupid idea to say these things to him; he was already teetering on the edge, and that was sure to push him off the deep end and make him do something terrible. But a part of her wanted to deserve this sadistic treatment she was getting, and there was nothing quite like telling off someone with a superiority complex who was in reality just mediocre. Ryoun's reaction to what she said, however, was not far off the mark.  
  
"EXCUSE ME?!" He roared. "I'M GONNA MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE DEAD, YOU LITTLE WHORE!" he tangled his fingers roughly into her hair, pulled her head back, and shoved it forward with maniacal force. Ava's head struck the stone wall with a bash, and she blacked out.  
  
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:3 Hee hee hee I know what happens! Thanks again to all those who review! I love criticism.  
  
Duh. Forgot the Addy: http://www.geocities.com/silverchair_fanatik/fanart.htm  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Ava's in trouble for real this time, and devastating news rocks the Dragonslayers.  
  
Oh, and for anyone's who's interested in getting alerts when this story is updated, mention it in your reviews and I'll email you when I update. Go me for getting this idea earlier. :S Don't forget your email addy's! X) 


	12. Clay Pigeons

Thank you for everyone who reviewed!!! I breathe them like oxygen Disclaimer: Jess-a-bear eats her neighbour's poop, and I don't own esca. (just kidding about the poop thing to all the literal folk out there)  
  
ATTN: This chapter isn't for the squeamish. If sexual and non-consentual sexual things gross you out/offend you, don't read on. You've been warned.  
  
  
  
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Clay Pigeons  
  
  
  
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When Ava came to, she was all alone in a cold, deserted, stone room. Her arm immediately started throbbing with dull, agonizing pain, although it seemed to have subsided. Trying to collect herself, Ava attempted to sit up, but something was stopping her. She was chained to the floor. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see what the room was for. It was a holding chamber. It was poorly lit, with deep shadows just out of the light's reach, but from what Ava could tell, Ryoun was not there.  
  
She turned her attention back to her throbbing arm. She attempted to flex it, but was met with peculiar results. It didn't move. Realization donned on her. Ryoun had twisted her arm back so far and so forcefully, that he had actually dislocated it. She shifted her weight so the chain attached to her useless arm was pulled tight, causing her arm to lift up. Pain jolted like electricity through her arm. This, Ava thought, Is gonna suck. Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself completely over to the side of her good arm, causing her injured arm to be pulled taut against the chain and an angle perpendicular to her body. The pain was excruciating, mind numbing. Still she pulled more. She was getting to the point where it hurt so much she was pulling in quick, panicked breaths, and grew dizzy. Still she pulled harder. She could feel her mind threatening to loose consciousness once more, the pain so great all she could see was black and bright blue and yellow kaleidoscopes ebbing into her distorted vision. And, suddenly, it was over. Instead of blacking out again, the flashing colors and blackness faded, leaving her in the desolate room once again. The excruciating pain had subsided to a dull throbbing in her shoulder. Ava looked down at her hand and tried flexing her fingers. Five fingers wiggled in response. Ava exhaled in relief. She had done it; her pulling had caused her dislocated arm to pop back into its socket. She didn't even think that would work.  
  
With that out of the way, Ava considered her options. Obviously, the chains weren't going anywhere. They had stood up to her abuse, and were made of solid iron as thick as her thumb at its thinnest points. She had just started attempting to slide her hand out of the cuffs when she heard a noise in the corridor. Ryoun was whistling as he approached. Ava frantically started spitting and wrenching her hands against the cuffs in a futile attempt to get them out. Ryoun pushed open the door, causing it to slam loudly against the wall. He was smirking at her maliciously, and his armor jacket hung open, revealing the light blue shirt underneath.  
  
"Managed to fix your arm, did you? Well, that's more than I expected from you. I'll give you that. But it's of no consequence; it won't help you." Ava growled under her breath. Focusing inwardly, she tried frantically to tap her powers and blow the shit out of the restraints. Instead, she was instantly met with a stab of sharp, white-hot pain searing through her skull, causing her to cry out in pain.  
  
She heard a malevolent chuckle somewhere close to her, and she looked up to see the cruel smirking face of Ryoun. There was something in his eyes that made her extremely nervous.  
  
"Let me go. You've made your point." She said looking down. "I'm sorry for embarrassing you, but don't you think this is a little much?" Ryoun said nothing, the carefree smirk on his face never changing as he moved closer to her feet, brought his leg up, and smashed it down on Ava's foot. Shattering pain shot up her leg as she screamed out. When the bright white cloud in her vision dissipated, she saw the now unsmiling, out-right cruel face of Ryoun a mere foot away from hers.  
  
"Sorry?" he breathed, dangerously low. "You aren't even close to sorry yet," and with that he pulled out an ivory handled dagger from his waistband, and ran it along her cheekbone and down her neck. He guided the tip of his dagger into the neckline of her armor jacket, and with a swift movement, had sliced through the length of it and tore it off of her in one swift motion. Abashed, she couldn't even react as he did the same with her pants.  
  
Now, stripped to her underwear and helpless, Ava realized exactly what kind of position she was in. Ryoun only grinned wolfishly as he started towards her, unbuckling his pants along the way.  
  
---~---~---~  
  
Dilandau sat, submersed in the darkness of his quarters, shielded from the bright mid-day light. He wiggled farther down into his plush mahogany-and- leather overstuffed chair and topped off his glass of Vino. He recounted the events of the previous night in which his late night rendezvous with Marrienne, the new kitchen maid. At least he thought that was her name.  
  
He had seen her over the last week or so, and could easy work his charm on her. Small glances when they were serving dinner in the Dragonslayer Hall. Whispered words at chance meetings. Anyway, it had proved effortless, and within days they had ended up in the darkened tower in the hangar, tangled and sweating. He didn't think he'd see her again. He always enjoyed the challenge, but hated it when they caved so fast, and therefore grew bored quickly.  
  
He sipped his Vino. He could remember the look on Ava's face when she realized what was happening. There was something distantly troubling about it.  
  
The door slammed open. Folken stood in the doorway, his arm extended outward, holding the door open. Dilandau responded wordlessly by hurling his half-full glass at Folken, it shattering against the door mere inches beside his head, missing on purpose. Folken hadn't even flinched. Instead, he spoke in a soft but hurried voice.  
  
"They found Ava," was all he said. Funny, was she missing? Dilandau thought. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her since she walked in on his little love fest. But he had slept in this morning and spent what had passed of the afternoon in his room, more or less.  
  
"Good Job. They found a Dragonslayer. It's nice to see all the Zaibach tax dollars are turning out such high caliber soldiers," Dilandau said impertinently. Folken rolled his eyes in annoyance.  
  
"Follow me, Dilandau. You need to see this," Mildly curious, but mostly annoyed, Dilandau swept up the Vino bottle and trudged after Folken grumpily. They walked for a time, winding down increasingly obscure corridors until they reached a smallish hallway. Far along, hunched in a corner floor, was an odd dark shape. As they got closer, Dilandau could make out the Black-and-Blue of Dragonslayer armor.  
  
The two of them rushed over, to where they saw Ava huddled in a corner, dirty, shaking, and vacant. She didn't even seem to notice them approaching. As they stopped before her, Dilandau could see the grime on her face, and the clean tearstains slicing straight through the dirt, like a fresh fingerprint on a frosted window.  
  
Folken knelt down beside her and touched her shoulder. She immediately flinched, and pulled herself away into the farthest corner.  
  
"Relax, Ava. It's only us." Folken said gently. Ava looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. "I-I know. Don't touch me.sir," She said, curling her knees up to her chin and eyes darting back and forth between Folken and Dilandau. Something had seriously disturbed her.  
  
"What happened?" Dilandau asked. She opened her mouth as if to say, hesitated, and turned away, new tears streaming. As she turned her head, Folken noticed a crusty substance in her hair.  
  
"What's in your hair?" Folken said, perplexed. Without looking at him, her eyes widened, as if remembering something. "He-He..Into my hair," She said uncomfortably, recalling the memory  
  
----- ---  
  
Ryoun sat on Ava's chest, crushing her lungs as she gasped for air. "Open your mouth" he said. Inches from her face, Ryoun was quickly pumping the shaft of his naked, stiff cock. Ava turned her head as far away as she could, and was rewarded with a sharp backhand to the cheek. Immediately, Ryoun let out a moan. He struck her again, and gasped passionately. White-hot spunk spurted out onto her chin and lips, to which Ava cried out in disgust. When Ryoun had collected himself, he looked down at her, and smeared the cum on her face with his hand, some in her hair, watching in fascination. Then, he punched her again. "I said Open." He then reached behind him, and forced his hand between her legs, she tried to clamp them shut, but was struck again, leaving a wet stain across her other cheek. He forced his fingers inside her. Ava whimpered. He then looked down at her and smirked.  
  
"I thought you'd get off on that, you fucking slut." He pulled his fingers out and licked them clean.  
  
  
  
----~-- ----~-----  
  
Ava trembled, and forced her curled-up body farther into the corner of the dim hallway, clutching her armor jacket tighter around her. She fought back another wave of hot tears.  
  
"He's-Ryoun is still in there," she choked out, indicating the stairwell nearby that lead down to the holding chambers. Folken rose to his feet and started towards the stairs. "It was an accident!" she whispered loudly, and hiccupped. Dilandau slid down the wall close to her.  
  
"What do you mean?" he said, raising an eyebrow. Somewhere in the Holding Chambers, they could hear a hollow shout of surprise, and moments later Folken was back, huffing.  
  
"He's dead," He said, looking at Dilandau. Dilandau rolled his eyes again. "Stop speaking in riddles you moron. Who?" Folken looked at Ava uncomfortably, understanding finally what had happened.  
  
"Ryoun. Stabbed in the chest." Ava jumped and looked at him fearfully. Dilandau noticed that her armor jacket had been ripped open, so it had to be held shut, and that she had nothing on underneath it. In addition to that, her boots were gone and her pants didn't fit at all. He doubted they were even hers.  
  
"I didn't do it! I mean, not intentionally, it was an accident." She cried. Folken put his arm reassuringly on his shoulder, and this time she only flinched slightly, instead of pulling away.  
  
"You need to tell us what happened," he said gently. Ava looked at her feet in embarrassed resignation, and the events poured out. Dilandau listened without comment, still in his spot against the wall, as she huddled back in the corner and recounted in a quiet deadpan voice how Ryoun had abducted her, chained her up, beat her, and violated her in countless horrifying ways. It wasn't until now that he noticed the forming bruises on her cheeks or her arms. What disturbed him most of all was the things he had done to Ava. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Ryoun was heartless, and very likely sociopathic, but never had he dreamed he would be stupid enough to violate the code to not harm one's fellow soldiers.  
  
----~---~--  
  
Ava re-counted the grim memories with horrifying severance. She spoke vague details about him assaulting and abusing her, but in her mind, she kept playing the final events over and over again.  
  
-----~--  
  
Ryoun kicked her legs apart, and knelt down on her already bruised pelvis. He crossed his arms and examined a fingernail lazily. Immediately, she wriggled her left foot against a raised cobblestone in the floor, as she had been doing earlier, pushing against the metal nail that held the strong iron cuffs shut.  
  
"So, What do you suppose the big lesson behind this is?" he said, still nursing a fingernail. Ava glared up at him bitterly from her helpless position.  
  
"Sorry, I must have missed that. Of course, an arrogant pig such as yourself may not see the lack of merit in tying up and abusing another soldier." He bit down on his nail sharply and looked at her, eyes cool as ice.  
  
Her head snapped to the side. He had punched her. Again. "You just can't figure it out, can you? Show some respect, you ill- mannered tramp. And just for that, I think you need to learn your place." He knelt forward, intending to kiss her savagely while undoing his pants again. Before he could drive it home, however, Ava spit hard into his eye. He shot upright like a stuck pig.  
  
"Incontinent prick," she hissed. He stared at her for a moment, unfettered hate on his face. Just then she felt the bolt in the cuff on her left leg finally tug out, and her foot shot up. At that same moment, Ryoun had drawn his ivory-handled dagger from his belt and was bringing it forward. Ava couldn't react as the dagger got in between her well-placed kick to his solar plexus. With a sickening crunch, Ryoun's dagger pierced his chest. Realizing what had happened, Ava drew her foot back right away, shocked.  
  
He stood for a moment, took a shaky step forward, and let out a noise that was a cross between a cough and a gargle, splattering blood down his front. Then, he fell forward, landing on Ava. She knew right away he was dead. While she couldn't reach one hand to the other, she could certainly reach Ryoun's pocket, and with shaky horror and relief, drew the key out.  
  
---~----  
  
By the time she had finished, Folken and Dilandau were somewhat dumbfounded. Ava looked at them with pleading eyes, begging for comfort and for reassurance. Folken looked to Dilandau, then back to Ava.  
  
"I know that was difficult to do, but thank you. It's very important you told us." Folken knew the shame that accompanied female sexual abuse or rape victims, and didn't notice the covert but searching looks she was giving Dilandau. Instead, he stood up with purpose, and motioned for Dilandau to do the same. "I'm going to.take care of this," he said. "Dilandau, take Ava to the infirmary, she needs to see one of the Madoshi." As if cued, both of them cringed at the same time. Folken went back down the stairs to Ryoun's body, and Dilandau waited patiently for Ava to get to her feet. She stood up, took one step, and gasped out, stumbling forward. Her foot was still smashed from when Ryoun stepped on it.  
  
With one liquid movement, Dilandau swung her arm over his broad shoulders and swept her up into his arms. He carried her through the halls, silently, with Ava snuggled against his warm, solid chest. She closed her eyes. It was odd, how relaxed she was now in comparison to an hour ago. And it was also curious, she reflected while breathing in Dilandau's scent of red wine and sage, how to be in a vulnerable, helpless position with one man can have a totally different, totally reverse effect on you.  
  
Some may call Dilandau insane, foes reduced to tears at the mere threat of him, but she knew that being carried through the Vionne by him, comfortable in that solid, powerful, was the most reassuring thing to her.  
  
------------------------------------------------------ Mamma mia, that was .. Quite something to write. Please let me know what you think  
  
For all those interested, I've started something of a mailing list, alerting people when I update. If you're interested, please say so in your review, and don't forget to leave your email addy! ^^  
  
Thanks again to all those who reviewed. I love you.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: A dark day for the Dragonslayers, and Ava's trouble isn't over yet. 


	13. Unlucky 13

I'm sorry this took me so long to get out. Things have been nutty lately. Thanks to all those wonderful people who reviewed *blows kisses* And yes, I have every intent on finishing this story, for those who inquired.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Escaflowne. Etc. Jessica loves Simon from American Idol (who doesn't?!)  
  
On with the show  
  
---~-----~------~-----  
Unlucky 13  
------------------------  
  
Ava spent the next 16 hours in the infirmary, in a dead slumber. When she finally came round, she was quick to discover a complete rape kit had been completed and reparations to her ankle (which had only been sprained) had been made, as well as treatment for minor cuts and bruises. Creepy as the Madoshi may be, they get their job done in a hurry.  
  
Within an hour of her waking, Ava was anxious and fidgeting. So, when the Madoshi had turned their back, she grabbed her robe and bolted silently for the door. Her Armour hadn't been anywhere around her beside, but as the set was so badly damaged, it had likely been thrown out. No matter, she had more in the tiny closet in her room.  
  
She scuffled through the halls on her stiff ankle, stopping at her room to get fresh armour, and set about finding the Dragonslayers. After finding an emptied training facility and emptier common room, she found them huddled in a uniform circle, with Dilandau speaking to them from the centre. It looked like they were strategising something. Clanking hurriedly down the stairs to join them, the Dragonslayers all turned to look at the noisy interrupter. A few murmurs broke out, but when Dilandau saw her he approached, instead of shouting across the hangar.  
  
"Go back to the infirmary," was all he said when he got within speaking distance. Ava was slightly taken aback. "You aren't in any good order to participate in our mission. I can't risk having useless weight added." His words cut her more then she let herself know, but she retorted anyway.  
  
"I'm fine. Really. The Madoshi said I was in perfect health, and they released me. Sir," It was a blatant lie, and the inner voice nagged her that if her commanding officer discovered she had outright lied to him, she'd be in heaps of trouble, but Ava shrugged the voice of worry off. She didn't want to be left behind again.  
  
Dilandau looked like he was about to give in, but instead he stepped closer and murmured quietly,  
  
"You're supposed to report to Folken, aren't you? About.what happened?" Ava had genuinely not gotten wind of any order such as that, and said so. Dilandau hesitated a moment, but finally gave in.  
  
"Alright. But the second you start to bring us down, you're back to the Vionne. We are only as strong as our weakest 'Slayer."  
-----~-----~---  
  
This battle was going downhill, and was going to get worse before it got better.  
  
The Dragonslayers were in a shallow lake, surrounding the Escaflowne. They successfully tracked and encircled the Dragon, and successfully ambushed, but were met with peculiar results.  
  
The King of Fanalia should have been dead in one shot. But instead, he deflected every oncoming attack from the Dragonslayers, much to the chagrin of Dilandau. In fact, it quickly became clear, thanks to the keen observation of Miguel, that the girl perched on his shoulder seemed to be able to decipher where the attacks were coming from, before they even happened.  
  
Now, however, Allen Shezar had joined the fray. Great. He quickly abolished the small advantage Dilandau had on Van. His death-grip by Crima Claw. Immediately, the Dragonslayers could see that the addition of Allen Shezar was making quick work of them, beating them off Escaflowne with fervency. Fanel used this to his advantage too; he hacked the arm off of Miguel's incoming Guymelef, and knocked him to the shore. Miguel didn't get up.  
  
Ava and the others tried frantically to maintain their ground. Dilandau, having seen Miguel be knocked about, growled into his comm., and blasted a claw at Escaflowne. Van's sword deflected it at the last moment, causing a stray tentacle of the fluid metal impale the Guymelef of Shezar, just as Folken shouted into their comm.-links that a Freid Convoy was approaching.  
  
Dilandau growled back. " Dragonslayers, move out!" Gatti's protesting voice crackled.  
  
"What about Miguel?" He was rewarded with a cuff by Dilandau's great red arm. "I said, MOVE OUT! We're already in over our heads,"  
  
----~-----~------~  
  
The disgruntled Dragonslayers padded back into the hangar and docked their Guymelefs, only to be greeted with a party of military officials standing in a group near the doors. Puzzled, Dilandau approached them.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded, true to his form. A Madoshi from the back of the group stepped forward, and was rewarded with a sharp glare from Dilandau.  
  
"We want Avalon to come with us," he said, using Ava's obscure full name. Uh oh, she thought. Dilandau turned to her, and she shrugged, before falling into step behind the men there to retrieve her.  
  
They lead her into a great, darkened room, and sat her at a desk under the only light. She looked from person to the person, suddenly feeling supremely tiny and vulnerable, due to her last experience at being subject to the mercies of a male in power.  
  
One stepped forward, his face cold and impersonal.  
  
"You are facing charges of murder, on account of the death of Ryoun Iori, and are henceforth suspended from the duty of the Dragonslayers," he said, in an even, monotonous tone.  
  
Ava's stomach leapt to her throat. Murder? She looked around frantically for someone to interject.  
  
"I didn't murder him! It was an accident, he was trying to k-" "-This will not be discussed now, by the reason of law." Said the monotone man.  
  
Ava sunk helplessly in her chair in defeat. What could she do? She likely faced a trial or some other sort of repercussions for her actions.  
  
She was so wound up in her thoughts, it had hardly registered that she had been dismissed by the group of men and had made her way to the common room in a daze. She shoved the door in, and saw the Dragonslayers piled on the floor and on cushions and beanbag chairs in the middle. She flopped down beside Guimel and curled her knees under her chin, resting her head on them. They looked at her, but nobody spoke  
  
"They suspended me," she said, not looking up. "They think I murdered Ryoun, and I'm facing an enquiry, by the sound of it."  
  
---~-----~-----~----  
  
A few days passed, and everyone was in an ill mood. Dilandau was grouchy, even for him, as Miguel, easily one of his best 'Slayers had been captured by Fanel's little company. Whenever confronted by the issue, he slapped on a façade of confidence, but Ava was sure he was worried about him. And, in turn, the Dragonslayers were irritable and demur.  
  
One lazy afternoon, Ava had spent a few hours killing time by working out, and headed to the showers. In a fuzzy thick black robe, she stopped at the lockers to grab her shower bucket, and was greeted by a lone Dilandau, who was unlacing his shirt.  
  
She said nothing at first, and neither did he, although Ava could feel his presence like a wet blanket. He continued to peel off his shirt, leaving only his leather pants on, with his dogtags clinking against his sweat- sheered chest  
  
Suddenly he spoke.  
  
"They have ordered me to testify in your defence regarding Ryoun's murder." Ava didn't say anything for a moment, then spoke up. "I didn't murder him," she said quietly, more to herself than to him. He paid no heed. "Yes you did. But that's not t he point. It's whether or not it was justified." Ava undid her hair.  
  
"What do you think will happen?" To this, Dilandau unwound the athletic tape on his hands thoughtfully.  
  
"Hard to say. You get off with just a slap on the wrist. Or maybe they'll kick you out. Who knows, maybe they'll see it as an honorific act," Ava snorted.  
  
"Somehow I doubt that. I've had to struggle with those supremeist military pricks since I got here. They hate me, and they'd sooner appoint me the arch-bishop." Dilandau managed a wry grin. The dark circles under his eyes and his tired mouth suddenly became all the more pronounced. She was picking up her bucket and heading towards the shower stalls when she heard Dilandau's voice over her shoulder again. This time, it was oddly subdued, somewhat strangled and strangely calm.  
  
"Miguel's dead."  
  
---------------------------~--------------------------------------~  
  
Thanks again to all those lovelies who review. Sorry again for my tardy.  
  
I'm so tired. This was a yucky chapter to write.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Ava's Enquiry, (or lack thereof), Dilandau gets even, and All-around-good fun.  
  
For all those who would like to be informed of updates, please SPECIFY that you would like to be on the list, and don't forget to leave your email addy ^_^ Thanks! 


	14. S&M Bikes

Author's note: Hehe. Oops. I haven't updated his story in a while, and I apologize. I know it's frustrating. A special thanks to Sakura Greenleaf for emailing me and giving my proverbial ass a swift kick. But now that school and exams are out of the way (for the most part), I shall be putting out chapters more frequently, at least in the span of the summer. I should probably be done the story by the end of the summer, come to think of it.  
  
Anyway, since I know how frustrating it is to follow a long fanfic, then to have the author not spew any new material for a while, only to make a comeback in which you can't remember ANYTHING that happened prior, I will give everyone a nice little summary:  
  
Ava. Young girl. Sold by her father into Zaibach, enrolled as a dragonslayer, with special fringe benefits (ie, special ops training w/ Folken.) Ava grows up a little, gets pretty darn good at the soldier thing, then is suddenly sent to Earth. A few years pass, and that zany Ava finds herself back on Gaea. Everyone's older, hotter, full o' hormones. Events within the Escaflowne TV series start to come to pass, and most recently, Ava was raped by the horrid fellow DS Ryoun, and accidentally kills him (not that the little bastard didn't deserve it). She gets suspended from the DS, and Miguel dies.  
  
Anyway, be good kids, and enjoy!  
  
-----~---~---~----~----~----~  
  
Chapter 14: S&M Bikes  
  
--~---~----~----~----~----~---  
  
Ava's head reeled. Miguel was dead, and not even at the hands of an enemy. He was killed by one of Zaibach's own. Ava happened to be there when Dilandau found out about Zongi's responsibility. It was one of the oddest sights she'd ever seen; he didn't even slap the paige who had delivered the message. He just sat there in his throne, fuming for the longest time. Then, suddenly, he stood up, and commanded the Dragonslayers to follow.  
  
That struck Ava even harder. She could hang out in the main hall, so long as nobody 'knew' she was there (although, Guimel had made an obscene gesture to her in the shadowed corner she was 'hiding' in), but Ava was still suspended from the Dragonslayers. She couldn't wear the uniform, couldn't participate. She watched them file into the hangar from her spot, curled up on the windowsill with a half-empty Vino bottle.  
  
They had been gone hours, and she still hadn't moved. Snuggling further under the blanket, she stared out the window into the twilight highlands. She found herself thinking of her father, remembering the papery quality of his skin, the talc-smell of his hair, his way of cracking her on the knuckles when she made a mistake in swordsmanship. It was odd, she thought, how her perception of him had evolved. She had been incomparably furious with him long after she was in the dragonslayers, never forgiving him for sending her away, or for getting sick. Then, that all changed. When she was whisked off to the Mystic Moon, these intense feelings of resentment has somehow dissipated; it was not until she was away from Zaibach did she realize how important to her it was. Now, she needed to be back there, and in this, her convictions just didn't hold the same gusto. He had given her a life he couldn't have provided for her.  
  
I wonder where he is right now, she thought.  
  
"What is that?"  
  
Ava jumped. She hadn't heard any one come up, let alone this large, menacing man she saw before her.  
  
"What are you on about?" She asked indolently, and was met with a meaty hand grasping the neck of her hoodie and wrenching her to her feet. She heard the Vino bottle shatter, as she was forced face-to-face with the rhinoceros of a man. His hot breath smelled sour.  
  
"Out for a nightcap? All you had to do was ask, and I would have shared. Now look what you have gone and done." He shook her, hard.  
  
"Watch your mouth, you impertinent cunt! Learn some respect for your superiors. General Adelphos would be interested to hear you drank an entire bottle of Vino while on DUTY!"  
  
Ava sputtered, but was quick to retort. "Do I LOOK like I'm on duty?" She shouted in her half-drunken state, "I can't even get in trouble, I got suspended. Besides. I only drank half of it, you moron." she added indignantly.  
  
She could tell almost instantly that she had gone too far. The hulk of a man's eyes blazed with hot anger, and he whirled around, dragging her by the collar of her hoodie.  
  
"Allow me to illuminate you to the danger of your situation," he said, wrestling her down the corridor. "You killed a fellow soldier. You were caught using controlled substances while on probation for the murder of said soldier. Furthermore, you disrespected a superior!" He snarled.  
  
"Guilty until proven innocent," Ava said grumpily. It was all she could come up with. After dragging her down long corridors, he finally shoved her into a large, dark, metal room. In the center, a tall, stainless steel apparatus, resembling scaffolding stood. Restraints were attached about six feet off the ground, and along the wall were whips of varying lengths. With a sick feeling, Ava realized what she was doing there.  
  
--~---~----~----  
  
Dilandau cracked his knuckles grumpily. They had found Zongi, and had their just revenge, but another factor he had not anticipated had managed to flounder: The White Dragon.  
  
Of course, before Dilandau made waste of Zongi, he milked him for information. Apparently, Van's little concubine from the Mystic moon was psychic. Which was made apparent very quickly by her prompt arrival with Van.  
  
Dilandau jumped down from his Guymelef with a growl. He hated how Van could just pop up and spoil his entire evening. Flanked by the others, Dilandau skulked through the hangar, loosening his gloves and running his fingers through his silky hair.  
  
How is it that Van could stir up such emotion in him? Dilandau disregarded his frustrations at becoming an emotional prat, yet couldn't deny the complex role Van and Hitomi were starting to play in the grand scheme of things. Van was just the ignorant prince of one of many nations the Dragonslayers had managed to annihilate over the years, yet took on the both irritating and pompous role of global authority on Gaea. Bastard. And that woman, Dilandau thought. foreign, subservient and practically Fanel's slave. She follows him everywhere and can't even protect herself. Dilandau grunted in disapproval. Girls should be able to be more self sufficient, and not always be told what to do. Without thinking about it, Dilandau found his attentions wandering innocently towards Ava.  
  
A peculiar prickling simmered up in his chest, and for the second time that afternoon, Dilandau berated himself for being an emotional fool.  
  
The Dragonslayers had trickled away, one by one, to pursue their own interests for the evening, and Dilandau continued through the empty hall alone. Listening to the distant clapping of his boots on the hard marble floor, it suddenly occurred to him that it wasn't his boots making that noise at all. Noticing a distant light down a secondary corridor, he pursued the noise, lured by some unknown factor to identify the source of such a curious slapping.  
  
He poked his head around the corner, and was all at once horrified. Four people stood in the room, none of them noticing his presence, all surrounding an odd, tall metal structure in the middle. The first two were General Adelphos and his right-hand man. Dilandau couldn't remember his name, but he was sure they were sleeping together. The Third was a hulking man with a slightly dark complexion, and he was brutally whipping the fourth: Ava. With her arms tied high above her head and the back of her shirt ripped clean off, revealing the bloodied proofs of the assailant's abuse. She hung limply, starting and crying out in agony with every passing blow. And it didn't look like he was letting up any time soon. Adelphos and his comrade merely looked on with veiled smugness.  
  
--~--  
  
The man whipping Ava let up for a moment, only to retrieve the tabernacle of vinegar he had stationed near the whip rack. He turned to splash it on the insolent girl's back, only to see a cold, steel blade pointed inches from his eye.  
  
Dilandau Albatou. In his second of hesitation Dilandau wrenched the vinegar from his hand and sliced through the whip in one clear stroke, leaving the fat, blood-soaked leather rope lying on the floor between then. Behind him Ava moaned softly.  
  
"How dare you." Was all he said, low and dangerous. "All of you!" he roared, spinning around to include Adelphos in his address. "Her punishment is not for you three to devide, and this brutal display of injustice and abuse of power will be brought before Lord Dornkirk,"  
  
"And you," he said, eyes narrowing and pressing his index finger threateningly into the large man's chest. "You are dismissed. For good. Clear your belongings out of here before the hour is up, and I'll see that my sword doesn't make it's way to your balls. And next time you feel like taking on the cruel-and-unusual disciplinary responsibilities that far exceed your posts," Dilandau added dangerously, "DON'T."  
  
He spun around to glower at Adelphos. "I'm discusted. You should know better than to make an example of a girl who is already seeing enough punishment for circumstances beyond her control." Adelphos blinked in mild surprise and irritation, although whether or not it was because of Dilandau's odd choice of syntax, he did not say.  
  
Without another word, Dilandau gently undid the chains binding Ava to the scaffolding, careful not to brush the gaping sores on her exposed backside. She fell limply into his arms, and he hoised her up, carrying her through the door without another look at Adelphos and the others.  
  
As they walked down the corridor silently, Ava seemed to come round, until the point she seemed fully lucid. Dilandau watched her rub her bloody wrists, raw from the cuffs. Her hair smelled like Lavender. "I think I can walk now" she said after a time, in a small voice. Dilandau set her down on her feet, and she tested her aching body warily. Once satisfied she was fit to walk, they continued at a less brusque pace down the corridor.  
  
"I talked back to him," Ava offered suddenly, her voice echoing down the hallway. Dilandau looked sideways at her.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He said, watching out of the corner of his eye as she tried to covertly position her shredded shirt so it still covered what she intended. Ava spilled the story, on her impertinence and the man's reaction.  
  
"He was right to give you shit," Dilandau said when she had finished, "But he knew the laws of discipline and administration of. What I said to him was true." He said, sauntering onward.  
  
Dilandau motioned to turn down the hospital wing, but Ava touched his elbow, stopping him. She looked a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"Do I really need to see the Madoshi? They aren't that deep, look." She said, turning her bare back to him. Dilandau swallowed.  
  
Ava was half right. None of them were that deep, but they still needed cleaning and treatment. When he said so, she turned back and counterpointed a bit nervously.  
  
"I don't think I can handle seeing them," she said quietly, ringing her hands and looking at her feet. "After being.treated like that, I don't think I can leave myself.vulnerable to them right now."  
  
Ordinarily Dilandau would have reprimanded his soldier and told them to quit whining, but seeing the pained and anxious look on her face somehow made him compliant. He sighed.  
  
"Alright," he said. "But you can't ignore the cuts on your back. You need to get someone to have a look at them"  
  
It was precisely at that moment where they passed the showers.  
  
--~--  
  
"Ouch!" Ava hissed. Dilandau applied the wet cloth to Ava's back once more, despite her complaining.  
  
"Almost done," He said, marveling at the turn of events the evening had. Oddly enough, Dilandau offered to clean her up, so as to maintain her privacy and discretion regarding the evening's affairs, and Ava, looking mildy surprised, agreed. She sat now, before him, modestly covering her chest with a clean fluffy towel, and Dilandau sitting crosswise on the bench behind her.  
  
Ava shuddered underneath his touch, and he worked in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"Did you find Zongi?" Ava asked, looking out the corner of her eye over her shoulder at him.  
  
"Yes. He's dead now." Dilandau said with relish.  
  
"Doesn't Folken give you shit for that kind of stuff?" she asked, curious.  
  
"Nah, he has a weird way about vendettas. Besides, he can't resist my devastating charm," he said cheekily. Ava giggled. Dilandau's gaze wandered to her exposed side, the porcelain skin the near-perfect counterpart to his own. He shook his head, then started wrapping gauze around her torso, passing the roll to Ava when it had to wrap 'round the front.  
  
Finished, Ava groaned and stood up, wrapping the towel around her chest in lieu of a shirt, then turned to Dilandau. She looked up at him, seeing as how he towered over her, and she looked, for one of the first times Dilandau could remember, a bit uncomfortable.  
  
"Listen, I want to just say.thanks. Thank you for looking out for me." She said, regaining a bit of confidence, flickering her gaze up at him, mere inches away. Dilandau swallowed a lump in his throat. He could see that she didn't just mean tonight. He leaned forward slowly.  
  
"It's what I'm here for." he murmured, Ava leaning to meet him. Closer, closer..  
  
"Lord Dilandau?"  
  
Ava and Dilandau rocketed apart like opposing magnets. Chesta appeared at the end of the locker row, saw them, and hurried over, bowing hastily.  
  
"I just received word from Lord Folken. He wants to discuss something with you, something General Adelphos said."  
  
Dilandau grumbled tiredly, muttering a few curses under his breath. "Very well. I'm on my way," he said, propelling himself towards the door. See that you two get some rest. We are going to Godashim tomorrow." Ava knew that she wasn't included in that 'we', but all the same was concerned about what Adelphos had said to Folken. After all, it was Dilandau who had interefered and threatened him, and he wasn't likely to get off without a proverbial slap on the wrist. Nevertheless, Chesta turned to her, looking inquisitively at her bandages.  
  
"Don't ask," she said grumpily, starting back for the dorms. "Wouldn't dream of it." was Chesta's reply, before stepping into pace with her. "So, since we off'ed Zongi and everyone's been down in the dumps since Miguel's..well. you know, and you're in shit with the company, we've decided to host a little shindig in our honor" Chesta went on, pushing open the door to the common room. Inside were all the Dragonslayers, dressed down and ready to party. Piles of food were stationed around the room, a game of poker was being conducted at a big oaken table near the massive windows, and Gatti and Guimel were hauling a heavy looking crate away from the open air duct.  
  
"Fancy doing a liquor run with us, Ava?" Guimel said brazenly, leaning on the crate and grinning ear to ear. Ava looked at his and Gatti's dusty clothes, the open air duct, and put two and two together.  
  
"Adelphos' wine cellar?" she asked, and got two grinning nods in response. "I'm with you."  
  
--------------~----------~-------------  
  
Whew, that chappie was a long time coming. Please R&R of course. Credits: Chapter name comes from a hat I saw some guy wearing at Cowboy's. Doesn't make sense, but it spoke to my heart.  
  
NEXT CHAPTER: Things start to get ugly, Escaflowne style. (not that they weren't already ugly..things get UGLIER!)  
  
Mailing list: if you would like to be notified upon the updating of this here fic, please INDICATE so, and leave your email addy. Merci. 


	15. Chapter 15

Holy Moly.

It's been a while, kiddies. I cannot tell a lie, I forgot about this story for the longest time. It's been more than 4 years since I've updated it, but I'm rather inspired to do something about that.

Stay tuned, beloved readers, I'm gearing up for chapter 15! (wow, this is a long story….I promise, I'm getting to the point!)

Love Toadie


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